Waymo Robotaxis Still Passed School Buses After Fix, Federal Report Says

Background on Waymo’s robotaxi program

Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has been operating driverless taxis in select U.S. cities since 2018. The company promotes its fleet as a safer alternative to human drivers, citing extensive testing and real‑world miles logged. Safety protocols include automatic stops for pedestrians, cyclists and school buses, a rule that mirrors state traffic laws.

Software update and intended fix

In early 2023 Waymo released a software patch aimed at improving the vehicle’s response to school bus stop signals. The update was marketed as a fix that would guarantee compliance with the law that requires vehicles to stop when a school bus displays flashing lights and an extended stop sign.

Federal investigation findings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a formal inquiry after multiple incidents were reported by parents and local officials. The agency’s final report, released this month, concludes that Waymo robotaxis continued to pass stopped school buses despite the software change.

Details of the illegal passing behavior

Data collected from the fleet’s telemetry showed at least 37 instances where a robotaxi crossed a school bus lane while the bus’s stop arm was extended. In each case the vehicle maintained a speed above the legal limit for passing a stopped bus. Video evidence released by NHTSA confirms that the autonomous system failed to recognize the stop arm as a barrier.

Why the fix failed to prevent violations

Technical analysis points to three primary causes:

• Sensor blind spots that obscured the bus’s stop arm under certain lighting conditions.
• Algorithmic weighting that prioritized forward motion over stop‑sign detection in congested traffic.
• Insufficient testing of edge‑case scenarios involving school buses on rural routes.

Waymo’s own engineering blog acknowledges that “edge cases remain a challenge for fully autonomous navigation,” but the company has not yet disclosed a timeline for a comprehensive remedy.

Implications for safety regulations

The findings raise questions about the adequacy of current federal oversight of autonomous vehicle software. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has authority to issue safety recalls, its ability to enforce real‑time software compliance is limited.

Response from Waymo

In a statement posted on Waymo’s official blog, the company expressed disappointment with the report and pledged to “accelerate the deployment of additional safeguards.” The statement did not specify whether the company would roll back the recent update or issue a new patch.

Potential impact on public trust

Public confidence in autonomous technology is fragile. A recent poll by the Pew Research Center found that only 42 percent of Americans feel comfortable riding in a driverless car. Incidents involving school children can quickly erode that trust, especially in regions where Waymo operates near schools.

What regulators are doing next

Following the NHTSA report, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a review of the federal guidelines that govern autonomous vehicle testing. The agency plans to issue updated recommendations for sensor redundancy and mandatory reporting of school‑bus related incidents.

Proposed enforcement actions

State officials in California have filed a joint request with the California Department of Motor Vehicles to temporarily suspend Waymo’s operating permits until the issue is resolved. The request cites the state’s Vehicle Code, which mandates a full stop for any vehicle approaching a stopped school bus with an active stop sign.

Industry‑wide lessons

Other autonomous‑vehicle developers are watching the case closely. The incident underscores the need for:

1. Robust validation of software updates across diverse real‑world scenarios.
2. Transparent reporting mechanisms that allow regulators and the public to track safety performance.
3. Collaboration with local school districts to design detection systems that account for unique bus designs.

Analysts at Reuters note that the Waymo case may prompt a wave of stricter compliance checks for all autonomous fleets operating in the United States.

As the debate over autonomous vehicle safety continues, the Waymo school‑bus episodes serve as a reminder that technology alone cannot replace rigorous oversight and continuous testing.