LOS ANGELES — A Waymo self-driving taxi struck a child near a Santa Monica elementary school during drop-off hours, triggering an investigation into the incident by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The investigation said the child was running across the street towards the school when they were hit. Waymo launched its services in Los Angeles in 2024 and covers more than 120 square miles of the county, not including LAX. Customers can hail rides from Venice to downtown Los Angeles and Echo Park, among other neighborhoods. The vehicles are being tested and gradually rolled out on Los Angeles freeways, the company said last year.