NHTSA Investigates Waymo Robotaxis Over Stopped School Bus Safety

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into about 2,000 Waymo autonomous vehicles following incidents where robotaxis reportedly drove around stopped school buses with flashing red lights and extended stop arms while students were disembarking. The probe focuses on the performance of Waymo's self-driving software in recognizing and responding to stopped school buses, prompted by footage of a Waymo vehicle maneuvering around a bus in Atlanta. Waymo explained that in the incident, the bus partially blocked the robotaxi's driveway exit, making it difficult for sensors to detect the stop signals. The company has rolled out software updates to improve detection and insists its vehicles have fewer accidents than human drivers. NHTSA considers the likelihood of similar prior incidents to be high and is investigating compliance with road safety rules related to school buses. Waymo has expressed commitment to collaborating with the agency to enhance safety as it expands its autonomous taxi services.