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Waymo is recalling its self-driving software after its robotaxis repeatedly failed to stop for school buses with flashing lights. Despite a software update, further incidents were reported. No injuries occurred, but federal regulators are investigating. The company, emphasizing its safety record, is working to improve its autonomous vehicles' performance in these critical situations.
Waymo plans to voluntarily file a software recall with federal regulators next week following reports that its autonomous vehicles repeatedly failed to stop for school buses with extended stop signs and flashing lights, the Alphabet-owned company announced.The company updated its robotaxi software on November 17 after identifying the issue, claiming the fix has improved performance beyond human driver standards in similar scenarios. According to TechCrunch, no injuries occurred related to the vehicle behavior addressed by this recall.
Federal investigation prompts safety review
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation in October after footage surfaced of a Waymo vehicle maneuvering around a stopped school bus unloading children in Atlanta.
The autonomous vehicle crossed perpendicularly in front of the bus from its right side before turning left around the front and continuing down the street.Austin School District officials reported 19 separate incidents of Waymo robotaxis illegally passing stopped school buses this year, with at least five occurring after the November software update. In one case documented by the district, a Waymo vehicle passed a stopped bus moments after a student crossed in front of it while still in the roadway.
Company emphasizes commitment to continuous safety improvements
"While we are incredibly proud of our strong safety record showing Waymo experiences twelve times fewer injury crashes involving pedestrians than human drivers, holding the highest safety standards means recognizing when our behavior should be better," Waymo Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Peña said in a statement.NHTSA sent Waymo a detailed information request on December 3, setting a January 20, 2026 deadline for response. The agency noted that with Waymo vehicles surpassing 100 million miles driven and accumulating 2 million miles weekly, "the likelihood of other prior similar incidents is high."This marks Waymo's third voluntary software recall, following earlier recalls in 2024 including one after a Phoenix vehicle collided with a telephone pole during a low-speed maneuver without a human safety operator present.
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