Waymo's Self-Driving Cars Face a Software Recall After Passing Stopped School Buses
Waymo, the autonomous ride-hailing service subsidiary of Alphabet (Google's parent company), is facing a voluntary software recall after reports of its self-driving taxis illegally passing stopped school buses. This decision comes as a response to several incidents, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opening an investigation in October. The investigation was sparked by a media report and a video from WXIA-TV in Atlanta, which showed a Waymo vehicle driving around a school bus.
The Austin Independent School District has documented 19 instances of Waymo vehicles passing school buses 'illegally and dangerously.' In one incident, a student was crossing in front of the vehicle while it was still in the road, only moments after the student had crossed. Waymo's Chief Safety Officer, Mauricio Peña, acknowledged the company's commitment to safety standards but recognized the need for improvement.
Waymo identified a software issue contributing to these incidents and believes subsequent updates will resolve the problem. The company plans to file the voluntary recall early next week, emphasizing that no injuries have occurred due to this issue. Despite this, federal regulators are demanding more information about these incidents, and Waymo has been asked to provide detailed documentation and responses to a list of questions by January 20, 2026.
Waymo's autonomous vehicles have accumulated over 100 million miles of driving and continue to add 2 million miles weekly. The NHTSA suggests that the likelihood of similar incidents is high, given the extensive driving experience of Waymo's vehicles. Waymo has consistently emphasized its safety record, claiming significantly fewer crashes than human drivers, with 91% fewer crashes with serious injuries and 92% fewer pedestrian injuries in the cities where it operates.
