Cyclist injured by Waymo autonomous vehicle door malfunction in San Francisco
A cyclist in San Francisco allegedly suffered brain and spinal injuries when the rear door of a Waymo autonomous vehicle opened in her path while she was riding in a marked bike lane. The cyclist filed a lawsuit against Waymo and Alphabet alleging that the vehicle's "Safe Exit" safety system, designed to prevent such collisions, malfunctioned.
What happened
While riding in a designated San Francisco bike lane in February 2025, cyclist Jenifer Hanki was struck when the rear door of a Waymo robocab abruptly opened in her path, throwing her into the lane and causing her to collide with another Waymo vehicle also encroaching on the bike lane.
Reported impact
Hanki suffered serious injuries including brain and spinal trauma, and required emergency care.
Index analysis
Hanki's lawsuit alleges that Waymo's 'Safe Exit' system, which is intended to warn passengers against opening doors into bike lanes, failed to function. The lawsuit further argues that the lack of human oversight exacerbated the situation and that Waymo's operational and safety practices may not meet necessary standards for public safety.
Governance controls
Waymo's Safe Exit system employs sensor suite and machine learning technology intended to provide riders with audio and visual alerts when cyclists or other road users are nearby during vehicle exit.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.