Federal Authorities Investigate Waymo Robotaxi’s Maneuver Around Stopped School Bus

A recent incident involving a Waymo autonomous taxi navigating past a school bus with flashing red lights activated has triggered a formal safety review by federal regulators.

NHTSA Initiates Examination of Autonomous Vehicle Conduct Near School Buses

The National Highway Traffic safety Management (NHTSA) revealed that its Office of Defects Examination (ODI) is currently probing an event recorded in early October in Atlanta, Georgia. The video footage captures a Waymo self-driving vehicle bypassing a stationary school bus actively engaged in unloading children.

This investigation aims to assess how Waymo’s autonomous driving technology complies with traffic regulations designed to safeguard students during boarding and alighting from school buses. Initial communications between NHTSA and Waymo indicate the possibility of multiple similar incidents, prompting deeper analysis.

Incident Overview and Company Statement

In the recorded scenario, the robotaxi passed directly in front of the bus on its right side before veering left around the bus’s front end and continuing down the street. According to Waymo, visibility was compromised because the bus partially blocked their vehicle’s driveway exit, obscuring flashing lights and stop signs. The company did not specify whether their sensors detected children or the extended stop arm at that moment.

waymo reiterated that safety remains their top priority, citing data showing their fleet experiences fewer collisions per mile compared to human drivers nationwide. They also confirmed ongoing cooperation with NHTSA throughout this inquiry and highlighted recent software enhancements aimed at improving system responses near stopped school buses.

Growth Amidst Operational Complexities

This year has seen meaningful expansion for Waymo’s robotaxi services: launches in Atlanta and Austin; broader operations across Silicon Valley; continued testing at San Jose and San Francisco airports; along with preparations for entry into several additional metropolitan areas planned for 2026 deployment.

A key challenge during this scaling phase involves exposing autonomous systems to varied urban environments-though encounters with stopped school buses are not new given prior deployments across multiple U.S. cities over recent years.

Past Regulatory Scrutiny on Autonomous Driving Systems

• In 2023, NHTSA investigated reports concerning difficulties faced by Waymo vehicles when negotiating low-speed obstacles such as gates or chains. This led to a recall affecting roughly 1,200 units followed by corrective software updates.
• The previous year involved probes into incidents where autonomous cars unexpectedly entered incorrect lanes or construction zones-highlighting persistent challenges navigating complex road conditions safely.

Navigating Future challenges: Innovation Meets Safety Demands

“With driverless technology advancing rapidly across American cities-logging over 25 million miles autonomously last year-the critical focus remains ensuring these systems consistently identify vulnerable road users like children,” transportation safety analysts emphasize amid evolving trends.

having completed more than 120 million rides worldwide as inception through various self-driving fleets-and facing increasing regulatory oversight-the partnership between companies like Waymo and agencies such as NHTSA will be pivotal in shaping public confidence moving forward.