A Waymo test vehicle, operated manually by an engineer, was involved in a crash near Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday morning, January 28, 2026. The incident saw the Zeekr model, specifically used by Waymo for testing, veer off a residential street and collide with multiple parked cars. Waymo confirmed to MotorTrend that the vehicle was under manual control for evaluation purposes, with no passengers on board and fortunately, no injuries reported.

Video footage from the scene depicted the vehicle leaving the narrow roadway, driving momentarily on the side of a hill, and subsequently appearing to lose control before impact. A family who was outside their home at the time recounted to KTLA News that they had only seconds to move out of the vehicle’s path, narrowly escaping the collision.

This event underscores a crucial distinction in Waymo's operations: while the company operates fully driverless robotaxis with a strong safety record across various parts of California and other U.S. regions, the Zeekr vehicles involved in such incidents are exclusively designated for manual testing. These tests are conducted by engineers to evaluate and refine the technology, separate from the autonomous ride-hailing services.

Waymo has outlined plans to eventually integrate these Zeekr models into its ride-hailing service, intending them to replace the current Jaguar I-Paces used for its autonomous operations. For several months, the company has been conducting testing of Zeekr vehicles in Los Angeles, even extending these evaluations outside the existing geofenced areas currently served by its Jaguar models. This extensive testing in the L.A. area suggests that the Alphabet-owned company is actively preparing to expand its robotaxi service footprint across Southern California.

In line with its ambitious expansion strategy, Waymo recently launched its robotaxi service in Miami earlier this month. The company also intends to broaden its reach to several additional U.S. markets later in 2026, including major cities such as Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, San Antonio, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., highlighting its rapid growth and commitment to scaling its autonomous vehicle technology.