AUSTIN, Texas — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a federal investigation into Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company, after reports that its robotaxis illegally passed stopped school buses multiple times in Austin this year. The probe, detailed in a letter sent to Waymo on Wednesday, focuses on the company's fifth-generation self-driving system and raises concerns about unexpected or illegal behavior around school buses, one of the most vulnerable points in urban traffic.
According to the Austin Independent School District, Waymo vehicles were recorded driving past stopped school buses on 19 separate occasions since the start of the school year. The district's letter, dated November 20, highlighted that at least five of these incidents occurred after Waymo claimed to have issued a software update to address similar issues. Officials from the district expressed frustration, noting that the company refused their request to halt operations during school pick-up and drop-off times.
The investigation stems from a pattern of concerning behavior first spotlighted in October, when NHTSA opened a preliminary inquiry following an incident in Georgia. Video footage from that event captured a Waymo autonomous vehicle passing a stationary school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, a clear violation of traffic laws designed to protect children. In response to that Georgia case, Waymo stated that "safety is its top priority" and announced software updates to its fleet to prevent future occurrences.
Despite those assurances, the Austin incidents suggest the fixes may not have been fully effective. The school district reported another episode on December 1 involving an actively loading school bus, prompting further alarm. In an email dated November 24, NHTSA directly asked Waymo to confirm whether it had ceased operations during school-related times as requested by the district or planned to do so, and to verify if a software fix had been implemented across its vehicles.
The Austin Independent School District said it had evidence of 19 separate incidents in which Waymo vehicles had been recorded driving past stopped school buses since the start of the school year.
The district's concerns were communicated not only to Waymo but also to federal regulators, underscoring the potential risks to student safety. School buses are equipped with stop arms and flashing lights precisely to halt all surrounding traffic, a rule enforced under both state and federal guidelines. Violating this can result in severe penalties, including fines up to $1,200 in Texas for a first offense, and in extreme cases, criminal charges if harm occurs.
Waymo, which operates a fleet of fully driverless robotaxis in cities like Austin, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, has been at the forefront of the autonomous vehicle revolution. The company, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., the parent of Google, began testing its vehicles in Austin in 2020 and expanded to fully unsupervised rides in 2023. With plans to launch services in more than 20 cities in the coming years, Waymo's growth has drawn both praise for innovation and criticism for safety lapses.
This isn't the first time Waymo has faced regulatory scrutiny. Earlier in 2024, NHTSA initiated another probe into the company following reports of erratic driving that allegedly broke traffic laws in multiple locations. Those investigations examined issues like sudden braking and failure to yield, contributing to a broader narrative of challenges in scaling self-driving technology to real-world complexities.
In Austin, the school district's letter to Waymo urged the company to "cease self-driving operations around school pick-up and drop-off times" to mitigate risks. However, according to a statement from the district to Reuters, Waymo declined to implement such restrictions, citing operational needs. The district emphasized that the incidents were documented through video evidence, providing a clear record of the vehicles proceeding past buses without stopping.
NHTSA's letter to Waymo requests detailed information on the fifth-generation autonomous system, including how it detects and responds to school bus signals. The agency expressed particular worry over the persistence of these behaviors post-update, which could indicate deeper flaws in the AI-driven decision-making processes. Federal regulators have the authority to mandate recalls or operational halts if defects are confirmed, a power they've exercised in past automotive safety cases.
Experts in autonomous vehicle safety have weighed in on the implications. Dr. Philip Koopman, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and a leading voice on self-driving car reliability, noted in recent interviews that school bus scenarios are among the most challenging for AI systems due to the dynamic nature of pedestrian and vehicle interactions. "These are edge cases that require robust sensing and rapid response," Koopman said, adding that repeated failures raise questions about the maturity of current deployments.
Waymo's spokesperson was not immediately available for comment on the latest probe, but the company has historically defended its safety record. In statements following previous incidents, Waymo has highlighted millions of miles driven without human intervention and lower crash rates compared to human drivers. Data from the company shows that its vehicles have been involved in far fewer injury-causing accidents per mile than the national average, though critics argue that doesn't excuse violations like passing school buses.
The Austin case adds to a growing list of incidents involving autonomous vehicles and vulnerable road users. In San Francisco, Waymo and competitor Cruise have faced lawsuits and investigations over collisions with pedestrians and cyclists. Regulators in California, where much of the testing occurs, have imposed stricter reporting requirements, mandating disclosure of all disengagements and safety events.
As Waymo pushes for expansion, this federal probe could slow its momentum. The company aims to enter markets like Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C., but public trust is paramount. Parents and school officials in Austin have voiced concerns on social media and local forums, calling for greater accountability from tech giants venturing into public streets.
Broader implications extend to the regulatory landscape for self-driving cars. NHTSA has been under pressure to update guidelines originally drafted for human-driven vehicles, with calls for specific rules on AI interactions with emergency signals like school bus stops. Lawmakers in Texas and Georgia, sites of these incidents, may push for state-level restrictions if federal action lags.
Looking ahead, Waymo's response to NHTSA's inquiries will be crucial. The agency has set a deadline for the company to provide comprehensive data, potentially leading to software mandates or temporary suspensions. For now, the Austin School District continues to monitor operations closely, prepared to escalate if more incidents occur. As autonomous technology evolves, balancing innovation with safety remains a high-stakes endeavor, especially when children's lives are on the line.
In the meantime, federal and local authorities are collaborating to review the evidence. The outcome of this investigation could set precedents for how robotaxis navigate urban environments teeming with schools, buses, and pedestrians, ensuring that the promise of driverless future doesn't come at the expense of young passengers' security.