Waymo robotaxis kept illegally passing school buses after software
Nearly a year ago, Waymo updated its self-driving software and issued a recall after numerous reports that its robotaxis were illegally passing school buses…
Summary
Nearly a year ago, Waymo updated its self-driving software and issued a recall after numerous reports that its robotaxis were illegally passing school buses that had stopped and deployed flashing red lights. Now, federal safety regulators have opened a new investigation into why that behavior has continued. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a November 6 filing that a majority of these reported incidents occurred after the company deployed a software update intended to fix the problem. Waymo said last year that a software update was completed for all affected vehicles on November 17, 2025.
Positives
- Now, federal safety regulators have opened a new investigation into why that behavior has continued.
- NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has opened a “recall query” to “assess the adequacy of the remedy.
- ” The ODI opened its initial investigation into Waymo in October 2025 after seeing footage of one of its autonomous vehicles maneuvering around a stopped school bus that had its stop sign extended, lights flashing, and was unloading children in Atlanta.
Risks & concerns
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a November 6 filing that a majority of these reported incidents occurred after the company deployed a software update intended to fix the problem.