Are Self-Driving Cars Really Safer Than Human Drivers?
Also today: NYC taxis and buses pick up speed with congestion toll, and how the Dutch intersection works.
A Waymo autonomous taxi on Bush Street in San Francisco in December 2025.
To err is human, and behind the wheel, the consequences can be deadly: In the US, traffic crashes kill more than 40,000 people annually. So what if you take humans out of the driver’s seat? As companies like Waymo and Tesla bring robotaxis to major cities, many observers have been quick to conclude that self-driving cars are safer than human-operated ones, particularly in the wake of data and studies published by AV companies to support that view.
Not so fast, writes contributor David Zipper. He talked to independent researchers who say they need more data and controlled testing to draw any conclusions. And even if self-driving technology proves to be less dangerous, he argues, there are many better — and cheaper — ways to improve traffic safety. Today on CityLab: We Still Don’t Know if Robotaxis Are Safer Than Human Drivers