Articles tagged with "NHTSA"
Waymo to issue software recall over how robotaxis behave around school buses
Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company, plans to voluntarily issue a software recall with federal safety regulators concerning how its robotaxis behave around school buses. This decision follows scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and criticism from officials in Atlanta and Austin after incidents where Waymo vehicles improperly maneuvered around stopped school buses with extended stop signs and flashing lights. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened an inquiry in October after footage showed a Waymo robotaxi crossing in front of a stopped school bus in Atlanta. Similar incidents were reported in Austin, where Waymo operates with Uber, prompting further regulatory attention. Waymo updated its software on November 17, claiming the update improved performance beyond that of human drivers in these scenarios. However, Austin school officials reported multiple illegal passes by Waymo vehicles even after the update, leading NHTSA to request more information from the company. Despite no injuries linked to these behaviors, Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Peña emphasized the
robotautonomous-vehiclessoftware-recallWaymoself-driving-technologytransportation-safetyNHTSAFeds ask Waymo about robotaxis repeatedly passing school buses in Austin
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has requested detailed information from Waymo regarding its self-driving system and operations after the Austin School District reported 19 instances in 2025-26 where Waymo’s robotaxis illegally passed stopped school buses. This inquiry follows an ongoing investigation initiated in October 2025 by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), triggered by footage showing a Waymo autonomous vehicle maneuvering dangerously around a stopped school bus in Atlanta. Waymo acknowledged the incident, attributing it to limited visibility caused by the bus partially blocking a driveway, and subsequently issued a software update aimed at improving safety. Despite this, the Austin School District reported continued violations, including at least five occurrences after the November 17 software update. Waymo maintains that safety is its top priority and claims its robotaxis have significantly reduced injury-related crashes compared to human drivers. The company asserts that its software updates have meaningfully improved performance, surpassing human driver safety in this area
robotautonomous-vehiclesWaymoself-driving-technologytraffic-safetysoftware-updatesNHTSAZoox asks federal regulators for exemption to launch a commercial robotaxi service
Zoox, an Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company, has formally requested a federal exemption to commercially deploy its custom-built robotaxis, which notably lack traditional vehicle controls such as pedals and a steering wheel. The company submitted a petition for a "555 exemption" to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seeking relief from eight Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that apply to passenger cars equipped with automated driving systems. NHTSA is currently reviewing the application and plans to publish a notice for public comment following its initial evaluation. This exemption request follows significant recent milestones for Zoox: earlier in September 2025, the company launched a public-facing robotaxi service in Las Vegas, and in August, NHTSA granted Zoox permission to demonstrate its vehicles on public roads under an earlier exemption. However, that previous exemption was limited to research and demonstration purposes, whereas the new application aims to expand the scope to allow full commercial operation of Zoox’s robotaxi service. The move represents a critical step toward
robotautonomous-vehiclesrobotaxiautomated-driving-systemfederal-regulationsNHTSAZooxNHTSA Rule Changes Favor Autonomous Cars - CleanTechnica
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing significant updates to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to accommodate the rise of autonomous vehicles (AVs) that operate without human drivers. Current FMVSS rules, established decades ago, mandate features like accelerator pedals, brake pedals, and steering wheels, which are irrelevant for fully autonomous cars. Recognizing this, NHTSA announced plans to modernize these standards by removing requirements tied to manual controls, thereby reducing costs and enhancing safety for AVs. The proposed rule changes specifically target FMVSS No. 102, 103, 104, and 108, which cover transmission controls, windshield defrosting and wiping systems, and vehicle lighting—areas that assume human driver interaction. Beyond technical adjustments, NHTSA’s initiative aims to create a unified national regulatory framework that supports innovation while prioritizing safety. The agency emphasizes preventing a fragmented patchwork of state laws and regulations that could hinder the deployment of autonomous
robotautonomous-vehiclesNHTSAautomated-driving-systemstransportation-innovationvehicle-safety-standardsFMVSSHouse Hearing on Motor Vehicle Safety — Takeaways - CleanTechnica
The House Energy & Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade held a hearing on June 26th focused on motor vehicle safety, particularly addressing the rising number of bicyclist fatalities on American roads. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that bicyclist deaths have nearly doubled since 2010, with over 1,000 deaths estimated in early 2024. Contributing factors include increasing vehicle size, weight, horsepower, and driver distraction. The hearing emphasized the urgent need for congressional action, notably support for H.R.3649 — the Magnus White Cyclist Safety Act of 2025, which would require NHTSA to implement a bicyclist-Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard within three years. Without such legislation, public testing of bicyclist-AEB by NHTSA is unlikely before 2027, and comparable European crash tests may not occur until 2030. While there
energymotor-vehicle-safetyautomated-vehiclesNHTSAbicycle-safetyfederal-regulationvehicle-technologyNHTSA Adjusts Autonomous Vehicle Rules Ahead Of Tesla Robotaxi Rollout - CleanTechnica
robotautonomous-vehiclesTeslaNHTSAvehicle-safetyinnovationtransportationTesla’s robotaxi plans have the attention of federal investigators
robotrobotaxiautonomous-vehiclesTeslaFull-Self-DrivingtransportationNHTSA