Waymo Faces New US Probe As School Bus Violations Persist After Software Fix

Waymo's robotaxis were supposed to stop illegally passing school buses after a software fix.

Instead, federal regulators say most reported violations happened after the update, prompting an investigation into whether the Alphabet-owned company's safety remedy worked.
 

TL;DR

 

• US safety regulators opened a recall query into nearly 3,000 Waymo vehicles over incidents involving stopped school buses.
• Most reported violations came after Waymo said it deployed its software remedy in November 2025.
• Austin schools documented 19 violations, while Atlanta schools recorded six. Waymo says it has received no citations since March 2026.

 

NHTSA Opens New Waymo Recall Query After School Bus Software Fix

On November 9, a report revealed that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a recall query into nearly 3,000 company-owned Waymo robotaxis. The agency is assessing whether the software change intended to stop vehicles from passing school buses with flashing red lights was sufficient.

The review replaces a preliminary investigation launched in October 2025, following footage of a robotaxi maneuvering around a school bus in Atlanta while its stop sign was extended and children were getting off.

Waymo said it completed the update across affected vehicles on November 17, 2025, before a December recall. Yet a November 6 filing described in the reporting showed that most incidents occurred after that rollout.

The recall query will examine why violations continued and whether the remedy was adequate. It does not mean regulators have reached a final conclusion about the fix.
 

 

Austin And Atlanta School Bus Violations Raise Robotaxi Safety Concerns

The reports extend beyond one city. Austin Independent School District documented 19 distinct violations and issued numerous $300 tickets to Waymo, while public schools in Atlanta recorded six additional violations.

At issue are autonomous vehicles passing buses stopped to load or unload children with warning signals activated. Such behavior can endanger students crossing the road nearby.

Footage behind the original inquiry showed a Waymo vehicle crossing in front of a stopped Atlanta bus, turning around its front and continuing down the street. The newer incidents have shifted attention to the effectiveness of the attempted correction.

Waymo maintains that vehicle behavior has improved. “We have made significant improvements to vehicle behavior around school buses and have received no citations since March,” the company said.

It also pledged to respond to the federal query and continue working with regulators on recalls involving autonomous-vehicle software.
 

 

Waymo Faces Wider Federal Scrutiny As Robotaxi Services Expand

The school bus query is not Waymo's only federal safety challenge. NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are separately investigating a January incident in Santa Monica, California, in which a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near an elementary school.

The NTSB is also investigating the school bus incidents. Meanwhile, Waymo continues to expand its commercial reach, with a sharp rise in weekly robotaxi rides.

Federal investigators have not announced conclusions from the new recall query. The question now is whether Waymo's software remedy can consistently prevent dangerous school bus passing behavior across its driverless fleet.