The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Waymo after its autonomous vehicles were allegedly seen driving past stopped school buses in Austin, Texas. According to a letter sent by the NHTSA to Waymo on Wednesday (December 3), the investigation will evaluate the performance of Waymo’s autonomous driving system (ADS) around school buses and its compliance with traffic safety laws.
The Austin Independent School District (AISD) police reported that Waymo vehicles have been cited 20 times for such violations. Footage shows at least 19 incidents where Waymo cars drove past stopped school buses with flashing red lights and deployed stop arms, while pedestrians were nearby. In some cases, the vehicles initially slowed or stopped before proceeding. AISD Chief of Police Wayne Sneed stated that despite requests, Waymo has refused to halt operations until the issue is resolved.
Waymo claims to have implemented programming changes in mid-November to address the problem, but a recent incident on December 1 indicates these updates may not have fully resolved the issue. The company stated that its updates have improved performance to a level better than human drivers and that it is committed to safe interactions with school buses.
The investigation comes as Waymo plans to expand its self-driving service to Dallas in 2026. The company is currently road-testing its vehicles in the city.
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