Regulators probe Waymo after its robotaxi drove around a stopped school bus

Federal safety regulators have launched an investigation into Waymo after a robotaxi was observed driving around a stopped school bus with flashing red lights in Atlanta, Georgia. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is examining how Waymo’s self-driving software handles encounters with stopped school buses and whether it complies with relevant traffic rules. The incident involved the autonomous vehicle crossing in front of the bus and then turning around it, with Waymo stating that the bus partially blocked the robotaxi’s driveway and that the vehicle could not see the bus’s flashing lights or stop sign. Waymo has since issued software updates aimed at improving performance. This investigation follows previous NHTSA probes into Waymo’s autonomous vehicles, including issues with navigating roadway barriers and mistakenly entering wrong lanes or construction zones. Despite these challenges, Waymo emphasizes safety as a top priority and highlights its extensive experience operating hundreds of thousands of autonomous trips weekly across multiple U.S. cities. The company