Waymo robotaxis kept illegally passing school buses after software fix, feds say

Waymo robotaxis continue to drive unsafely around school buses, even after a fix, indicating systemic issues persist.

Federal regulators have launched a new investigation into Waymo's self-driving robotaxis for continuing to illegally pass stopped school buses, even after the company deployed a software fix. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed in a recent filing that most of the reported incidents occurred after Waymo issued a recall and updated its software in November 2025. This follow-up probe, termed a "recall query," aims to determine if the software remedy was adequate. The initial investigation began in October 2025 following footage of a Waymo vehicle passing a school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign while children were unloading in Atlanta. Additional incidents have since been documented in Austin, Texas, prompting the NHTSA's renewed scrutiny into Waymo's safety protocols.

The NHTSA's decision to re-investigate Waymo's remedy highlights a critical challenge in autonomous vehicle safety: ensuring software updates effectively address all real-world scenarios. The fact that a majority of violations occurred post-update suggests a deeper problem than initially understood, potentially involving how the system interprets complex traffic situations or its failure to generalize from training data. This could lead to stricter regulatory oversight and potentially more stringent requirements for future AV software deployments.

This ongoing issue directly impacts public trust and the timeline for widespread robotaxi adoption. Regulators are likely to impose more rigorous testing and validation protocols, which could delay Waymo and other AV companies from expanding their services. Furthermore, the continued risk of violations means that human safety remains a paramount concern, and any perceived lapse could trigger public backlash or lead to legislative action that affects the entire autonomous vehicle industry.