The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into Waymo following multiple reports that its self-driving robotaxis illegally passed over stopped school buses in Austin, Texas. At least 19 such incidents have been reported since the start of the school year, with Waymo vehicles violating state traffic rules designed to protect children getting on and off buses.
According to Reuters, these incidents occurred even after Waymo recalled more than 3,000 vehicles in December last year to update software that caused the vehicles to drive past stopped school buses. This reportedly prompted the NTSB to launch its own investigation.
Waymo has acknowledged these violations, but emphasized that none of the encounters resulted in collisions and that its autonomous system handles school bus situations in the U.S. “thousands of times” each week. The company said it is continually improving its technology and believes its overall safety record when dealing with buses exceeds that of human drivers.
The NTSB’s action follows an ongoing review by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that began last October after reports first surfaced of Waymo’s robotaxis driving past school buses. Although Waymo has since updated its software, the problem is not yet fully resolved.
Austin officials are calling for a temporary stop
Local officials in Austin are pushing for Waymo to stop operating during school pickup and drop-off times until the system is fully compliant with the law. School district leaders have expressed concern that the repeated violations, including at least one near miss involving a student who had just pulled in front of a robotaxi, are endangering children. Waymo has so far refused to shut down its services.
The investigation into Waymo highlights the increasing scrutiny of autonomous vehicle technology as competition in the space heats up and Tesla also begins field testing its robotaxi ambitions in Austin.
