Name: Waymo's case for a driverless future
Uploaded: 2026-05-11T14:50:26Z
Duration: 19 min 14 s
Description: What if we could solve the problem of fatal car accidents? Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana joins TED's Sal Khan to explore why fully autonomous vehicles (where you never have to touch the wheel) are more than a tech novelty — they could help end the dangerous status quo.

Tekedra Mawakana, Sal Khan: Waymo's case for a driverless future

Waymo's case for a driverless future

What if we could solve the problem of fatal car accidents? Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana joins TED's Sal Khan to explore why fully autonomous vehicles (where you never have to touch the wheel) are more than a tech novelty — they could help end the dangerous status quo.

TED’s vision steward, CEO of Khan Academy

Fully autonomous vehicles now operate in cities around the world, delivering over 500,000 rides weekly and driving the equivalent of hundreds of human lifetimes. Data shows these cars are more than ten times safer than human drivers, dramatically reducing serious injuries and fatalities. Widespread adoption could save up to a million lives globally each year, yet social acceptance and regulation remain hurdles. As cities adapt, new jobs and reimagined urban spaces are beginning to emerge.

Driverless Cars Offer a Safer Future Beyond Human Limits

Fully autonomous vehicles are not just novel technology; they are already demonstrating safety far beyond human drivers. With over 200 million miles driven, these vehicles now show a tenfold reduction in serious crashes and have yet to cause a fatality. If widely adopted, this technology could prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths each year and unlock new uses for urban spaces. The challenge is overcoming public skepticism and regulatory barriers to accelerate broader adoption.