Technology
Waymo under federal investigation after child struck
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Federal safety regulators are once again taking a hard look at self-driving cars after a serious incident involving Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Alphabet.
This time, the investigation centers on a Waymo vehicle that struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, during morning drop-off hours. The crash happened Jan. 23 and raised immediate questions about how autonomous vehicles behave around children, school zones and unpredictable pedestrian movement.
On Jan. 29, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed it had opened a new preliminary investigation into Waymo’s automated driving system.
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Waymo operates Level 4 self-driving vehicles in select U.S. cities, where the car controls all driving tasks without a human behind the wheel. (AP Photo/Terry Chea, File)
What happened near the Santa Monica school?
According to documents posted by NHTSA, the crash occurred within two blocks of an elementary school during normal drop-off hours. The area was busy. There were multiple children present, a crossing guard on duty and several vehicles double-parked along the street.
Investigators say the child ran into the roadway from behind a double-parked SUV while heading toward the school. The Waymo vehicle struck the child, who suffered minor injuries. No safety operator was inside the vehicle at the time.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation is now examining whether the autonomous system exercised appropriate caution given its proximity to a school zone and the presence of young pedestrians.
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Federal investigators are now examining whether Waymo’s automated system exercised enough caution near a school zone during morning drop-off hours. (Waymo)
Why federal investigators stepped in
The NHTSA says the investigation will focus on how Waymo’s automated driving system is designed to behave in and around school zones, especially during peak pickup and drop-off times.
That includes whether the vehicle followed posted speed limits, how it responded to visual cues like crossing guards and parked vehicles and whether its post-crash response met federal safety expectations. The agency is also reviewing how Waymo handled the incident after it occurred.
Waymo said it voluntarily contacted regulators the same day as the crash and plans to cooperate fully with the investigation. In a statement, the company said it remains committed to improving road safety for riders and everyone sharing the road.
Waymo responds to the federal investigation
We reached out to Waymo for comment, and the company provided the following statement:
“At Waymo, we are committed to improving road safety, both for our riders and all those with whom we share the road. Part of that commitment is being transparent when incidents occur, which is why we are sharing details regarding an event in Santa Monica, California, on Friday, January 23, where one of our vehicles made contact with a young pedestrian. Following the event, we voluntarily contacted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that same day. NHTSA has indicated to us that they intend to open an investigation into this incident, and we will cooperate fully with them throughout the process.
“The event occurred when the pedestrian suddenly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, moving directly into our vehicle’s path. Our technology immediately detected the individual as soon as they began to emerge from behind the stopped vehicle. The Waymo Driver braked hard, reducing speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact was made.
“To put this in perspective, our peer-reviewed model shows that a fully attentive human driver in this same situation would have made contact with the pedestrian at approximately 14 mph. This significant reduction in impact speed and severity is a demonstration of the material safety benefit of the Waymo Driver.
“Following contact, the pedestrian stood up immediately, walked to the sidewalk and we called 911. The vehicle remained stopped, moved to the side of the road and stayed there until law enforcement cleared the vehicle to leave the scene.
This event demonstrates the critical value of our safety systems. We remain committed to improving road safety where we operate as we continue on our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver.”
Understanding Waymo’s autonomy level
Waymo vehicles fall under Level 4 autonomy on NHTSA’s six-level scale.
At Level 4, the vehicle handles all driving tasks within specific service areas. A human driver is not required to intervene, and no safety operator needs to be present inside the car. However, these systems do not operate everywhere and are currently limited to ride-hailing services in select cities.
The NHTSA has been clear that Level 4 vehicles are not available for consumer purchase, even though passengers may ride inside them.
This is not Waymo’s first federal probe
This latest investigation follows a previous NHTSA evaluation that opened in May 2024. That earlier probe examined reports of Waymo vehicles colliding with stationary objects like gates, chains and parked cars. Regulators also reviewed incidents in which the vehicles appeared to disobey traffic control devices.
That investigation was closed in July 2025 after regulators reviewed the data and Waymo’s responses. Safety advocates say the new incident highlights unresolved concerns.
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No safety operator was inside the vehicle at the time of the crash, raising fresh questions about how autonomous cars handle unpredictable situations involving children. (Waymo)
What this means for you
If you live in a city where self-driving cars operate, this investigation matters more than it might seem. School zones are already high-risk areas, even for attentive human drivers. Autonomous vehicles must be able to detect unpredictable behavior, anticipate sudden movement and respond instantly when children are present.
This case will likely influence how regulators set expectations for autonomous driving systems near schools, playgrounds and other areas with vulnerable pedestrians. It could also shape future rules around local oversight, data reporting and operational limits for self-driving fleets.
For parents, commuters and riders, the outcome may affect where and when autonomous vehicles are allowed to operate.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Self-driving technology promises safer roads, fewer crashes and less human error. But moments like this remind us that the hardest driving scenarios often involve human unpredictability, especially when children are involved. Federal investigators now face a crucial question: Did the system act as cautiously as it should have in one of the most sensitive driving environments possible? How they answer that question could help define the next phase of autonomous vehicle regulation in the United States.
Do you feel comfortable sharing the road with self-driving cars near schools, or is that a line technology should not cross yet? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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The video game disc is dead, and Sony’s been planning to kill it for some time, according to a report out of Austria. The man who leads Sony’s discmaking operations, Sony DADC president Dietmar Tanzer, told ORF Salzburg that the company’s Thalgau plant produces 600,000 discs every day, half of which are for PlayStation. But since it’ll only be making 10 percent of that volume in 2028, it’s planning to retrain all 300 employees to work on optical microlenses instead.
Thalgau isn’t just one of Sony’s disc plants. It’s where the disc-making division is headquartered, and appears to be its only remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing facility. Sony made discs in the United States for decades, originally in Terre Haute, Indiana and later in New Jersey, but it closed the latter plant in 2011 and moved all manufacturing from Indiana to Thalgau in 2022. Today, the Indiana facility markets itself to automakers who need help packaging and assembling headlights and the like instead.
This transition didn’t happen overnight. A behind-the-scenes video from December 2024 shows that the Thalgau plant was already working on microlenses as of then:
Those lenses, too, are created using discs:
ORF Salzburg writes that Sony has now invested €30 million to manufacture these microlenses, and that mass production may begin “as early as next year.”
Microlenses are theoretically used in all kinds of emerging applications where you might want to bend light, including headsets, but it appears that Sony may cater to automakers here, too. The head of Sony’s micro optics division gave ORF Salzburg the example of “a car turn signal that is projected onto asphalt.”
All of this is to say: Sony didn’t make this decision in a hurry, and it isn’t likely to change its mind despite the predictable backlash. It’s been winding down disc manufacturing for decades, and it’s ripping off one last band-aid with PlayStation.
According to Sony DADC’s website, it has produced over 26.4 billion discs to date — the vast majority, 23 billion of them, were made between 1983 and 2022 in Terre Haute, Indiana.
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A new sodium-ion battery from Chinese battery giant CATL could eventually affect something much closer to home: the power grid that keeps your lights on. CATL has introduced its TENER Sodium Energy Storage System. The company says it is the world’s first field-validated sodium-ion energy storage system ready for commercial use.
Think big energy project, not phone upgrade. This battery is built for large storage sites that can support the grid. That kind of storage is getting more attention as electricity demand rises. AI data centers use a lot of power. Heat waves can strain local grids. Solar and wind power also need storage so electricity is available when people need it.
However, CATL has not announced a specific U.S. launch for this system. So, this is more about where grid storage may be headed than what your local utility will install tomorrow.
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CATL unveiled its TENER Sodium Energy Storage System in Munich as sodium-ion batteries move closer to commercial grid storage. (CATL)
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New sodium-ion battery targets grid storage
CATL just launched the TENER Sodium Energy Storage System in Munich, Germany. The company says cumulative shipments should reach 1 gigawatt-hour by the end of 2026. Deliveries in China are expected to start in September 2026. Global deliveries are scheduled to begin in June 2027.
That timeline shows sodium-ion batteries are moving closer to commercial use. The system is designed for stationary storage. In other words, it could help store electricity from solar farms, wind projects or other power sources for later use.
That becomes important when demand jumps during hot afternoons or renewable power drops later in the day.
Sodium-ion battery storage could ease lithium pressure
Most large battery storage projects today use lithium-based systems. Lithium works well, but supply chains can be tight. Prices can also move when demand climbs. CATL says sodium is more than 1,000 times more common than lithium. The company also says sodium is widely distributed around the world.
That could make sodium-ion batteries attractive for grid storage. These batteries do not need to be tiny enough for a phone or light enough for an electric car.
CATL isn’t saying sodium will replace lithium overnight. Instead, the company says sodium and lithium could work together in future energy storage systems.
For you, the larger point is choice. More battery options could help energy companies reduce their dependence on a single material.
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CATL says the battery fits existing systems
One of CATL’s bigger claims is that TENER Sodium can fit into existing lithium iron phosphate energy storage platforms. CATL says the system shares the same physical footprint as LFP systems. That could help developers avoid changing enclosures, redesigning projects or repeating certification steps.
The system delivers more than 30 megawatt-hours of rated capacity. CATL says each module weighs about 42 metric tons, or about 46 U.S. tons. The company says only 34 units are needed for a 1-gigawatt-hour storage site. The modular design also supports flexible storage durations of 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours. That gives developers more room to tailor projects based on local power needs.
Sodium-ion battery design can handle tough conditions
The TENER Sodium system is built for large energy projects, not home use, with modules designed to store power for the grid. (CATL)
Battery storage has to work in places that get brutally hot or freezing cold. CATL says TENER Sodium is designed for better extreme-temperature performance, enhanced safety and lower operating costs. The company also says its battery management system gives the sodium-ion system an additional 20 percent safety margin compared with lithium-ion batteries.
The system also uses a top-discharge airflow design that CATL says reduces heat generation by nearly 30 percent compared with conventional systems. CATL says auxiliary power consumption drops from the industry average of 2 percent to 1 percent.
That could be useful for large grid storage projects, especially in places where heat, storms or heavy power demand can strain local systems. CATL also says TENER Sodium operates at only 65 decibels, which is 10 decibels lower than conventional systems. That could help address local concerns when battery storage sites are built closer to where power is needed.
Sodium-ion battery shipments signal commercial momentum
CATL says TENER Sodium has reached full commercial maturity across technology, production capacity and supply chain readiness. The company says it has worked on sodium-ion battery research and development since 2016. CATL also says it has invested about $1.4 billion, depending on exchange rates, over the past decade.
CATL has expanded sodium-ion production lines at its Fuding base in China. The company says that adds 40 gigawatt-hours of annual capacity. Another planned base in Jining, Shandong, could support 160 gigawatt-hours of sodium-ion battery production capacity. CATL also says it signed a three-year, 60-gigawatt-hour sodium-ion energy storage order with HyperStrong in April 2026. The company described it as the world’s largest sodium-ion commercial contract.
Those numbers show CATL is treating sodium-ion storage as a serious commercial product. That said, U.S. adoption is a separate question. American utilities, regulators and developers would still need to weigh cost, performance, supply chain risk and security concerns.
What this means to you
This sodium-ion battery system may never be something you buy directly. However, the technology behind it could still affect how electricity gets stored and delivered. If sodium-ion storage proves reliable, it could give energy companies another way to support the grid. That may become more important as AI data centers increase electricity demand.
Better storage can help utilities use power more efficiently. It can also help balance supply when demand rises quickly. Still, there are limits. A new battery chemistry will not fix old transmission lines, slow permitting or local grid bottlenecks by itself.
The real takeaway is that sodium-ion batteries could become part of the grid storage mix. They are not a magic fix, but they could help energy companies build more flexible storage projects.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
CATL’s new sodium-ion battery may sound like a faraway energy story, especially since there is no announced U.S. rollout yet. Still, it is important because the grid is under growing pressure from AI data centers, extreme weather and the need to store more renewable power. What stands out is the use of sodium, which CATL says is far more common than lithium. If this technology proves reliable in major energy projects, it could give utilities another way to store power and keep the grid steadier when demand spikes.
Would you be comfortable with Chinese-made battery systems supporting part of the U.S. electric grid if they helped make power more reliable? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
CATL says sodium is far more common than lithium, which could give energy companies another storage option as electricity demand rises. (CATL)
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