After Waymo’s driverless death, families in Arizona demand accountability when a car drives itself

Reporter: Rona Yousufi

PHOENIX- Before the collision that would destroy her life and her boyfriend's life, Linh Luu said, “ I love you,” to her boyfriend, Michael Remanenko, across the automobile. He responded that he loves her too, grinning in return. 

Romanenko and their dog, the keeper, were killed when a speeding Tesla crashed into several cars, including an autonomous Waymo that had stopped at a red light a few seconds later, trapping Luu in the debris.

 She said, “I saw him standing still.” I was no longer able to sense his energy.” I was aware of his absence.  

Waymo ‘s presence increased by local stakes in Arizona 

Waymo's autonomous vehicle started advertising driverless trips in the Phoenix metro area in 2020. Since then, it has grown to hundreds of autonomous vehicles in Tempe, Mesa, and Scottsdale. 

Arizona's leaders are encouraged to push the state as a place for autonomous technology testing. However, detractors claimed that lax laws expose the public to danger.

“Arizona's approach emphasizes innovation, but investigations into recent crashes will definitely inform future safety oversight”, said ADOT Doug Nintzel. 

The first autonomous vehicle pedestrian fatality in U.S history, that 2018 Uber self-driving disaster also occurred in Arizona, serving as a reminder that the state roadways frequently serve as a backdrop for both sad and technological national landmarks.

The recent death collisions in Tempe and California have been highlighted, whether Arizona's traffic and transportation ministry is carefully testing the Waymo technology, and whether traffic regulations have kept pace with the realities of AI driving mobility. Arizona is at the center of a national conversation about finding a balance between innovation and public safety at a time when communities are mourning and demanding responsibility.  

Another accident with Waymo caused the death of a motorcyclist

A motorcyclist died after being hit from behind a Waymo car. The crash happened in September 2025 near Rural Rd and Apache Blvd, Tempe, Arizona. The Waymo was driving slowly to let the pedestrian cross the street when the motorcyclist had less than a second to react. Another car hit the motorcyclist and left the scene. Later, the police arrested the driver, and he was an Arizona State University Student. 

 Mauricio Pena, who is the Chief Safety Officer at Waymo, said, “No one was inside the Waymo; safety is our top priority. This tragedy deeply saddens us.”

Doctor Rachael Martinez, a transportation expert at Arizona State University, said, “The crash shows a human risk of mixing driverless cars with regular traffic.”

“Electronic cars can prevent many crashes,” Rachael Martinez said. “But they cannot help to control and stop human drivers from having a fast speed, getting distracted, or driving under influence. Arizona leaders must think about how to manage both Autonomous vehicles and the environment around.”

National Accident Boosts the Accountability Movement 

Public safety might not have changed because of the Tempe Crash alone. However, Romanenko’s death, who is a software developer and 27 years old, shocked everyone in the country. The seven cars crashed into each other and were described as “a high collision” by emergency personnel. 

All the cars waiting at the red light that suddenly the Waymo car was hit from behind by a very high-speed Tesla car, causing to crashed 7 to gather caused to killed about one person, a dog.  

“Her office is exercising caution,” Brooke Jenkins, the district attorney from San Francisco, said, “We must go over carefully on every piece of evidence and examine the Tesla’s black-box data and confirm mechanical claims.”

Romanenko’s death made Luu his girlfriend's nightmare, as these justifications of mechanical issues and hitting the car from behind do not make sense to her and do not make her feel sad.  

Luu said, “I feel like I lost everything, and I want him to get justice.” There must be a change.

Even When They Are Not at Fault 

According to a recent examination of federal collision statistics, there were 696 crashes involving Waymo between 2021 and 2024. Only three caused major injuries before to 2025, whereas 632 resulted in no injuries. The first Waymo fatality occurred in a crash in San Francisco. With 220 crashes, Arizona is second only to California in the country for Waymo mishaps.

Waymo frequently emphasizes that human drivers are to blame for a large number of incidents. "Compared to human drivers, Waymo drivers experience 82% fewer crashes involving motorcyclists and 92% fewer crashes involving pedestrians," stated Kris Kusano, a Waymo engineer, in a published research release. However, detractors claim that ethical concerns cannot be resolved by numbers alone. "The law is behind the technology," stated Gary Marchant, an AI ethicist from ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. Victims become victims of legal gaps when responsibility is ambiguous. 

Families in Arizona need to know who will pay the Bills

There has not been any deadly Waymo collision in Arizona involving a pedestrian or passenger yet; concern is increasing, especially in some of the situations where Waymo was stopped, the ambulance or firefighter car was crossing on the street. Sometimes they stopped in the middle of the street and did not work. Furthermore, Waymo braked abruptly or stalled without warning, according to ABC 7 News.

Gary Merchant said, “This is the crux of the problems.” Is software liable if a robotaxi kills someone? Corporate carelessness? Failure of the infrastructure? Or human error on the part of someone not inside the car? That is not yet fully addressed by Arizona law. Those legal arguments seem excruciatingly abstract to Luu. "Michael Remanenko had so much left to give, and he was nice.” Luu said, “He made people happy. I'm hoping that his passing will make others take notice of this.”

Families affected by recent collisions argue that technology shouldn't outpace accountability as Arizona and the country rush toward an AI-driven transportation future. Luu remarked quietly, "Even when a car drives itself, someone is still responsible for the consequences." 

Regulators Under Duress 

The NHTSA has opened several investigations into the behavior of autonomous vehicles, including the events involving Waymo's abrupt braking. "We are assessing whether current safety frameworks adequately address AI-driven systems," a federal spokesperson told reporters. Although ADOT in Arizona is examining revisions to AV reporting regulations, Waymo's growth has not been halted. According to ADOT, "Arizona is still committed to supporting autonomous innovation, but we will continue to evaluate performance and public safety impacts."