Waymo probed by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal school bus behavior

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into Waymo following more than 20 incidents in Austin, Texas, where its autonomous robotaxis were observed illegally passing stopped school buses during student loading and unloading. This marks the first NTSB probe into Waymo, complementing an ongoing investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that began in October. Despite a software recall issued by Waymo in December to address the issue, the problem persists, prompting the Austin Independent School District to request a suspension of Waymo’s operations during school bus pickup and drop-off times. The NTSB’s investigation aims to identify root causes and will produce a preliminary report within 30 days, with a more comprehensive final report expected in 12 to 24 months. Waymo, which recently expanded its robotaxi service to Miami alongside existing operations in several major U.S. cities, maintains that it safely navigates thousands of school bus encounters weekly without collisions and believes its