Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing service owned by Alphabet, has initiated plans to file a voluntary software recall after incidents involving its self-driving taxis illegally passing stopped school buses. This decision comes following a probe launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in October, triggered by media reports and alarming safety concerns.
The investigation was prompted by a report highlighting a Waymo autonomous vehicle (AV) that failed to stop for a school bus equipped with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended. WXIA-TV in Atlanta aired footage in September showing a Waymo vehicle maneuvering around a stationary school bus, raising significant safety alarms.
In a letter addressed to NHTSA, the Austin Independent School District reported 19 separate incidents where Waymo vehicles “illegally and dangerously” passed their stopped buses. One particularly concerning situation involved a Waymo vehicle driving past a bus just moments after a child had crossed in front of it and while the child remained in the roadway.
Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer, Mauricio Peña, acknowledged the incidents in a statement to NPR. He emphasized the company’s commitment to safety and noted that recognizing the need for improvement is a crucial aspect of maintaining the highest safety standards. Peña indicated that Waymo has identified a software issue contributing to these incidents and is confident that upcoming updates will resolve the problems. The company plans to submit the voluntary recall to NHTSA early next week and highlighted that no injuries have been reported as a result of these occurrences.
Waymo has consistently touts its safety record, claiming that its driverless vehicles are involved in significantly fewer accidents than those driven by humans. The company reports a 91% decrease in serious injuries and a 92% reduction in pedestrian injuries in cities where it operates. These claims are supported by independent analyses from reputable tech outlets, which underline that Waymo’s AVs are statistically safer than human-operated vehicles.
Despite this, federal regulators are demanding further information regarding the incidents in question. NHTSA has already reached out to Waymo, seeking extensive documentation about the reported encounters and the company’s responses to these safety issues. The agency also suggested that, given the substantial number of miles driven—over 100 million as of last July, accumulating 2 million miles weekly—the potential for other similar incidents is considerable. NHTSA set a deadline of January 20, 2026, for Waymo to respond with the requested information.
