Home / Technology / NHTSA Probes Waymo Over School Bus Incidents
NHTSA Probes Waymo Over School Bus Incidents
9 Nov
Summary
- NHTSA opened a recall query into nearly 2,900 Waymo vehicles.
- Waymo vehicles allegedly passed school buses with flashing lights.
- A software update's adequacy is being reviewed by NHTSA.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a recall query into 2,895 vehicles operated by Alphabet's self-driving unit, Waymo. This action stems from continued traffic safety violations involving Waymo vehicles and school buses.
The regulator is examining whether a software update, deployed in December 2025 as part of a recall, effectively resolved a defect. This defect could cause Waymo vehicles to pass school buses that have their flashing red lights activated or their stop arms extended, even after initially slowing or stopping.
NHTSA noted that the majority of these concerning incidents occurred after November 2025. This was after Waymo had stated that it completed the software remedy for all affected vehicles. The current query aims to determine the adequacy of this remedy and identify the root causes of these post-remedy incidents.
Separately, NHTSA had previously launched a probe in January following an incident in Santa Monica, California, where one of Waymo's autonomous vehicles struck a child near an elementary school.
