Waymo robotaxis kept illegally passing school buses after software fix, feds say

Waymo robotaxis were found to have continued illegally passing school buses after a software update, according to federal safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into why the behavior persisted, citing that a majority of the reported incidents occurred after the software update was deployed. The ODI has initiated a "recall query" to assess the adequacy of the remedy. The software update, completed on November 17, 2025, was intended to fix the issue, but the majority of the incidents occurred after its deployment. Waymo claims that the software improvements have led to better vehicle behavior around school buses, and there have been no citations since March 2026.

• The ODI has opened an investigation into the software update's effectiveness.
• Waymo asserts that the software improvements have led to better vehicle behavior around school buses.
• The autonomous vehicle incidents in Atlanta and Austin have been documented.
• The Austin Independent School District reported at least five such incidents.
• Waymo maintains that the software has been effective and that it will respond to NHTSA's query.

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