NTSB Investigates Waymo Robotaxis for Illegally Passing Stopped School Buses
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into Waymo’s autonomous vehicles following multiple incidents where these robotaxis reportedly failed to stop for school buses during student loading and unloading. The probe focuses on over 20 such occurrences in Austin, Texas, as well as similar events in other states.
The NTSB announced plans to dispatch investigators to Austin to collect detailed information on these incidents. A preliminary report is anticipated within 30 days, with a comprehensive final report expected in 12 to 24 months. This marks the first NTSB investigation into Waymo, although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had previously launched a similar inquiry in October.
In response to these concerns, Waymo issued a software recall last year aimed at improving its vehicles’ behavior around school buses. Despite these updates, violations have persisted, particularly in Austin, where the local school district has requested that Waymo suspend operations during student pickup and drop-off times.
Waymo is currently expanding its robotaxi services across the United States, recently launching operations in Miami, adding to its presence in cities like Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer, stated, We safely navigate thousands of school bus encounters weekly across the United States, and the Waymo Driver is continuously improving. There have been no collisions in the events in question, and we are confident that our safety performance around school buses is superior to human drivers. He added that the company views the NTSB investigation as an opportunity to provide transparent insights into their safety-first approach.
The NTSB’s role differs from that of the NHTSA; it does not have regulatory authority to issue fines or penalties. Instead, the NTSB conducts in-depth investigations to identify root causes of transportation issues and offers non-binding recommendations based on its findings.
The initial incident that drew attention occurred in September in Atlanta, where a Waymo vehicle was observed maneuvering around a stopped school bus that was unloading children. The robotaxi reportedly did not detect the bus’s stop sign or flashing lights, leading to a software update aimed at addressing this specific scenario.
However, subsequent incidents in Austin have raised further concerns. Local news outlets have published videos showing Waymo vehicles making illegal maneuvers around stopped school buses on multiple occasions. The Austin Independent School District has reported over 20 such violations and has requested that Waymo cease operations during school bus loading and unloading times.
Waymo has stated that it continues to engage productively with the Austin Independent School District and acknowledges the district’s efforts in reducing human-driven violations around school buses.
As the NTSB investigation progresses, it will provide further insights into the safety of autonomous vehicles in real-world scenarios, particularly concerning interactions with school buses and the protection of student passengers.
