Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 1 hr ago
US opens new probe into Waymo robotaxis passing stopped school buses
The US safety regulator has opened a new investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis were reported passing stopped school buses.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration first investigated the issue in 2025, after a Waymo vehicle drove around a bus unloading children in Atlanta.
Waymo updated its software and said the fix was installed in all affected vehicles by November 17, 2025.
But regulators say most reported incidents happened after the software update.
School officials in Austin also reported at least five cases involving Waymo vehicles.
The new review will assess whether Waymo’s fix adequately addressed the safety problem.
The investigation covers Waymo’s robotaxi operations in places including Atlanta and Austin, where children may be boarding or leaving buses.
The regulator has not said what action it may take after the review.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a new investigation into whether Waymo’s software update fixed robotaxis passing stopped school buses.
The agency said most reported incidents occurred after the update was deployed.
The update was completed across affected vehicles in November 2025, after an earlier investigation into the behavior.
The new probe will assess the recall remedy and examine why reports continued in Atlanta and Austin.
- Who
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through its Office of Defects Investigation.
- What
- It opened a recall query into whether Waymo’s software update stopped robotaxis from passing stopped school buses.
- When
- The agency’s filing was dated November 6, 2026; the articles were published November 9, 2026.
- Where
- The reported incidents include Atlanta, Georgia, and Austin, Texas.
- Why
- Most reported incidents occurred after Waymo deployed the update intended to fix the problem.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
NHTSA opened its initial investigation after reviewing footage of a Waymo robotaxi passing a stopped school bus in Atlanta.
Waymo said it had completed a software update for all affected vehicles.
NHTSA said most reported incidents occurred after the software update was deployed.
NHTSA filed a recall query to assess the adequacy of the remedy.
- Agency
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Investigation unit
- Office of Defects Investigation
- Update completion
- November 17, 2025
- Reported locations
- Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas
- Austin reports
- At least five incidents reported by Austin Independent School District officials
2 sources
What people are saying
assess the adequacy of the remedy
identify the causes of the conditions leading to the post-remedy reports