SAN FRANCISCO — Waymo has announced that its First Responder Program, designed to facilitate collaboration between emergency personnel and its autonomous driving technology, has been independently validated by TÜV SÜD, a global safety testing and certification organization.
The program is the first in the autonomous vehicle industry to receive third-party validation for compliance with best practices, Waymo states.
The program was assessed against the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) AVSC-I-01-2024 guidelines, which establish standards for emergency response protocols involving autonomous vehicles, according to the news release. TÜV SÜD’s review confirmed that the program aligns with these standards.
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“Through this first-of-its-kind assessment, we confirmed Waymo’s First Responder Program is consistent with industry standards,” said Bijoy Bhaskaran, director of mobility for North America at TÜV SÜD.
Waymo introduced its First Responder Program in 2018 as part of the preparation for its autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo One. The program includes training for police, fire and medical personnel and has educated over 15,000 first responders across more than 75 U.S. agencies, according to the news release. Waymo has also collaborated with national organizations, such as the International Associations of Chiefs of Police and Fire Chiefs, to enhance emergency response strategies.
The program focuses on ensuring safe interactions between Waymo’s autonomous vehicles and emergency responders. Features developed through feedback from emergency personnel in San Francisco and Phoenix include advanced detection of emergency vehicles, real-time response to hand signals and secure protocols for manual disengagement of the vehicle, according to the release.
As the company expands its ride-hailing service, Waymo says it plans to continue working with emergency responders to refine its technology and operational processes.
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