Waymo Under Investigation for Robotaxis Passing Stopped School Buses

Austin: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is looking into Waymo. They have found Waymo’s robotaxis illegally passing stopped school buses in at least two states.

The NTSB is focusing on more than 20 incidents in Austin, Texas. Investigators will visit Austin to learn more about the situation. They want to know why the automated vehicles did not stop for students getting on or off the buses. A quick report will appear in about 30 days, with a detailed report in 12 to 24 months.

This is the first time the NTSB has looked into Waymo, but it is the second investigation about the school bus issues. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began a similar investigation last October.

Waymo recalled software last year to fix the problem, but updates did not stop it. The Austin school district has asked Waymo to pause operations during pickup and drop-off times.

Waymo is expanding quickly across the U.S. They just launched a robotaxi service in Miami and already operate in places like Austin and Phoenix.

Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s safety officer, stated they safely deal with thousands of school bus encounters every week. He believes their safety record around school buses is better than human drivers.

The NTSB is different from the NHTSA. It does not issue fines but conducts investigations to find out what went wrong. Afterward, they may hold hearings and suggest changes.

A key incident happened last September in Atlanta. A Waymo vehicle passed a stopped school bus as kids were getting off. Waymo later claimed their vehicle missed the stop sign and lights, but they updated the software for that issue.

Yet, Waymo vehicles in Austin continued to ignore stopped buses. Videos from bus cameras showed this happening multiple times. Peña added they are working with the Austin Independent School District to help reduce violations.