Waymo Publishes Framework for AV Incident Management Exercises
Waymo researchers and incident readiness experts have published a paper introducing what the company calls a first-of-its-kind framework for planning, testing and strengthening incident-management capabilities in automated vehicle fleets. The framework adapts established emergency-management practices, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program, to AV operations.
- Waymo researchers and incident readiness experts published a paper with what the company calls a first-of-its-kind framework for AV incident-management exercises.
- The framework adapts FEMA's Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program for automated vehicle operations.
- It defines four exercise types: formative, educational, summative and confirmatory.
- It is intended for AV developers, operational partners, first responders and public-safety agencies.
- Waymo says a common framework can make industry approaches to incident readiness more consistent.
A shared approach built on existing practice
According to Waymo, automated vehicles operate in dynamic environments where unexpected events can occur. Beyond collision avoidance, the company says AV fleets need tools to prepare for and respond to major emergencies that can affect multiple vehicles, from natural disasters to complex transportation events.
The new framework is meant to give AV developers, operational partners, first responders and public-safety agencies a common method. They can use it to design exercises, evaluate how a response went and continuously improve their emergency playbooks. Rather than inventing a new system, the paper takes the established FEMA program and adapts it for automated vehicle operations.
Four types of exercises
Waymo argues that the best time to work out how to respond to an emergency is before it happens. Incident-management exercises let organizations test plans, identify gaps and strengthen capabilities ahead of a real event. The framework walks teams through each stage of an exercise, from planning and team activation through response and structured evaluation, so that lessons are captured and fed back into future preparation.
It also lays out a range of exercises that fit different stages of preparedness:
- Formative: consultations, seminars and workshops that help establish plans, roles and policies.
- Educational: tabletop exercises and collaborative scenarios used to teach and refine playbooks.
- Summative: drills and functional exercises that test specific systems and response capabilities.
- Confirmatory: full-scale exercises designed to validate end-to-end readiness.
As organizations mature, exercises can become more complex and realistic. Waymo stresses that the goal is not simply to conduct larger exercises, but to choose the right exercise for the capability being tested.
Preparedness depends on collaboration
The company notes that AV companies do not respond to major events in isolation. Depending on the situation, an effective response may require coordination among AV developers, operational partners, first responders, emergency-management agencies and other government entities. According to Waymo, exercises can help clarify roles, strengthen communication and improve coordination before an emergency occurs.
What it means for the industry
Waymo says that as autonomous technology continues to scale, preparedness practices should mature alongside it. By turning established emergency-management practices into a common framework for AVs, the company argues, the industry can build stronger and more consistent approaches to incident readiness. The full paper is available through Waymo's blog post.
