The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an initial inquiry into approximately 2,000 Waymo self-driving taxis. The probe was initiated following a report suggesting that one of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles may have violated traffic safety regulations near a stopped school bus.
The investigation is being led by the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), which initiated the probe after a media report alleged that a Waymo self-driving taxi did not stay stopped when approaching a school bus in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 22.
According to the report, the Waymo vehicle first stopped next to the school bus but then proceeded to maneuver around its front and continued along the opposite side. During the incident, students were disembarking, the bus had its red lights flashing, and both the stop sign and crossing control arms extended.
In a document, the ODI stated it will examine how Waymo’s self-driving software behaves around stopped school buses, how the system is programmed to follow traffic laws concerning these buses, and other related factors.
Investigation records indicate that the vehicle involved was equipped with Waymo’s fifth-generation Automated Driving System and was operating without a human driver at the time of the event.
A Waymo representative told Car and Driver that the company is aware of the ongoing investigation. The spokesperson noted that Waymo has already rolled out certain software updates to enhance the robotaxi’s performance and plans to introduce additional improvements. They also explained that the school bus was partially obstructing the driveway the vehicle was exiting, and that the taxi could not see the bus’s flashing lights or extended stop sign from its vantage point.
This isn’t the first time Waymo’s autonomous vehicles have come under the NHTSA scrutiny. In 2023, the agency investigated claims that the vehicles had difficulty navigating roadway obstacles such as gates and chains during low-speed operations. The investigation eventually resulted in a recall in May.
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