Waymo under probe over robotaxis overtaking stopped school buses
What's the story
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into Waymo, following reports of its robotaxis illegally overtaking stopped school busses. The probe is focused on over 20 such incidents in Austin, Texas. "Investigators will travel to Austin to gather information on a series of incidents in which the automated vehicles failed to stop for loading or unloading students," the NTSB said in a statement to TechCrunch.
Software recall
Previous software updates and school district's request
In December, Waymo issued a software recall to fix the problem. However, the update wasn't enough to solve the issue completely. In Austin, where most incidents have been documented on camera, the local school district has asked Waymo to halt its robotaxi operations during the student pickup and drop-off times.
Company statement
Waymo's response to the investigation
Responding to the NTSB investigation, Waymo's chief safety officer Mauricio Pena said, "We safely navigate thousands of school bus encounters weekly across the US, and the Waymo Driver is continuously improving." He added that there have been no collisions in these incidents and expressed confidence in their safety performance around school busses.
Investigation process
NTSB's role in transportation safety issues
Unlike the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the NTSB is not a federal regulatory agency and cannot impose fines or penalties. Instead, it conducts thorough investigations to uncover root causes of transportation safety issues. Once an investigation is complete, the board often holds hearings and issues non-binding recommendations. A preliminary report on this investigation is expected within 30 days, with a more detailed final report due in 12-24 months.
Business growth
Waymo's expansion amid ongoing investigation
The NTSB investigation comes as Waymo is rapidly expanding its services across the US. Just this week, the company launched a robotaxi service in Miami, adding to its existing operations in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite these challenges and ongoing investigations into its school bus behavior, Waymo continues to grow its business.