Furthermore, if there isn't a driver present, the car will find a safe place to stop if a collision happens or if there's a system error. Same goes for times when its sensors are essentially whited out during a snow storm or other inclement weather. After an accident, the car will send a crash report back home.

Waymo's cars are outfitted with audio sensors in addition to radar and LIDAR setups, which means that they can detect sirens in the distance. This benefit is two-fold. For one, it means that the car can react appropriately by pulling over to give emergency vehicles a wide berth. It also means that the vehicles can tell when help is arriving after a crash, and be ready when the police or paramedics arrive.

Insurance companies and governments are still figuring out the at-fault quandaries, and it seems like Alphabet is working to answer other questions regarding the non-human driver equation. There's an awful lot to chew on in Waymo's report, so if you need something to read this afternoon, hit the source links below.