Waymo Faces Investigation for Irresponsible Driving Around School Buses

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Waymo after reports that the company's self-driving taxis illegally overtook stopped school buses in Austin, Texas. As the regulatory body responsible for developing and enforcing federal safety standards for vehicles and equipment, and defining regulatory frameworks for autonomous driving technologies, NHTSA requested detailed information about Waymo's fifth-generation autonomous driving system. The agency's Office of Defects Investigation expressed concern that the Alphabet-owned company's vehicles exhibit unexpected or illegal behavior around school buses, emphasizing its role in monitoring and overseeing the safe testing and deployment of these vehicles to ensure public safety. (NHTSA, 2016) (NHTSA) (The Verge, 2024)

Details of the Initial Investigation

This letter comes after the regulatory body opened an investigation last October following an incident involving a stopped school bus in Georgia. Video footage showed one of Waymo's autonomous vehicles passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arms extended. In response, Waymo stated that safety is its top priority and that it had already issued software updates to its fleet to resolve the issue.

Problem Persists in Austin

However, the problem appears to have persisted. In a letter dated November 20, the Austin Independent School District stated that it had evidence of 19 separate incidents where Waymo vehicles were recorded passing stopped school buses since the start of the school year. At least five of these incidents occurred after the company said it had issued an update to fix the problem.

Reactions and Demands

The school district requested Waymo to halt autonomous driving operations during student pick-up and drop-off times. The district informed Reuters that the company refused to cease operations around schools and claimed that another incident involving a school bus loading occurred on December 1st. In an email dated November 24, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explicitly asked Waymo to "inform us if it has ceased operations during these times as requested or plans to do so," and to confirm whether a software fix had been implemented.

Regulatory Precedents and Company Expansion

This is not the first time Waymo has been under regulatory scrutiny regarding its self-driving taxis . In 2024, the federal agency launched an investigation after reports of irregular driving that could be against the law. This comes as the company expands into new markets, with hopes of launching its services in more than 20 cities in the coming years.

Lack of Comment from Waymo

Waymo spokespersons were not immediately available for comment on the investigation.