A bicyclist has sued Waymo over a crash that she says was caused by two of the company’s self-driving cars on a San Francisco street.
The complaint filed Friday, June 6, in San Francisco Superior Court describes a collision in a South of Market bike lane.
The bicyclist, an Adobe Systems employee, said she was northbound in the Seventh Street bike lane around 12:10 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2025, a Sunday. In the last block before Market Street, the complaint says, a Waymo car pulled to the curb, adjacent to the bike lane. A backseat passenger on the driver’s side “suddenly and without warning opened the rear door” into the cyclist’s path.
As the cyclist attempted to take evasive action, a second Waymo car, also attempting to pull to the curb, crossed into the bike lane, “eliminating plaintiff’s opportunity to safely maneuver,” the complaint says.
The bike hit the first car’s open door, ejecting the cyclist, and she was thrown into the passenger side of the second car. She suffered “serious” injuries and was taken to a hospital by ambulance, the complaint says.
The passengers of the first Waymo car left the scene without providing aid, she alleged.
The complaint notes that Waymo says its cars have a “Safe Exit” feature, which is supposed to notify disembarking passengers when cyclists or pedestrians are near the car. That system, it says, apparently “failed to function as intended.”
The bicyclist is alleging that Waymo was negligent and committed intentional battery (with malice, in light of its “willful and conscious disregard for the safety of others”) and intentional affliction of emotional distress. Google parent Alphabet, which owns Waymo, is also named as a defendant.
The bicyclist is requesting a jury trial to determine an award of damages.
Waymo has been operating a driverless ride service in San Francisco since 2021. It expanded to the Peninsula last year, and this month it was approved to operate in San Jose.
Originally Published: June 10, 2025 at 11:16 AM PDT
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