Swiss Re: Waymo Proven Safer Than Human Drivers

Swiss Re, one of the world’s top reinsurers, released a report revealing that Waymo's autonomous vehicles are safer than human drivers, including those using the latest ADAS-equipped cars (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems). The conclusion is backed by Swiss Re’s extensive real-world claims data — spanning over 500,000 claims and more than 200 billion miles of driving exposure.

The study used liability claims data as a proxy for at-fault collisions, analyzing claims from the 25.3 million fully autonomous miles driven by Waymo and comparing them to those from human drivers. The results were striking: Waymo was involved in only nine property damage claims and two bodily injury claims — representing reductions of 88% and 92% respectively, compared to human drivers. For the same mileage driven by humans instead, the expected outcome would have been 78 property damage and 26 bodily injury claims.

Will an ADAS-equipped vehicle make a big difference? Not really. Swiss Re also compared Waymo’s performance to vehicles equipped with ADAS, and the results still heavily favored Waymo. Its property damage claims were 86% lower, and bodily injury claims were 90% lower than those of ADAS-equipped vehicles.

This research adds strong support to Waymo’s expansion strategy for 2025–26. The company has already established a solid presence in Phoenix (Arizona), San Francisco, and Los Angeles (California). In 2025, it plans to expand services to Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. Testing will also begin in Miami, Florida, laying the groundwork for a full public ride-hailing launch in 2026.

Waymo is also targeting Washington, D.C. for future expansion, pending regulatory approval. On the international front, the company is preparing to begin testing in Tokyo, marking its first venture outside the U.S. To fuel this continued growth, Waymo raised $5.6 billion in its Series C funding round in October last year, bringing its total valuation to $45 billion.