Around 2,000 Waymo vehicles are currently being scrutinized following reports of one of the self-driving taxis navigating around a school bus while children were disembarking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated a preliminary investigation on Friday to assess the performance of Waymo’s autonomous technology in relation to stopped school buses and compliance with traffic safety laws intended to protect students.
The incident took place on September 22 in Atlanta, where a Waymo vehicle operating with the company’s fifth-generation automated driving system approached the right side of a stationary school bus. Although the vehicle initially halted, it then proceeded to drive around the front of the bus and past its left side, as detailed in the investigation filing. This maneuver disregarded the bus’s extended stop arm on the left and its traffic crossing control arm on the right, near the area where children were getting off, alongside the flashing red lights of the bus. The NHTSA indicated that there might have been prior similar incidents.
A Waymo spokesperson emphasized the company’s commitment to safety, stating, “Safety is our top priority, as we provide hundreds of thousands of fully autonomous paid trips every week in some of the most challenging driving environments.” The spokesperson acknowledged the NHTSA’s critical role in road safety and affirmed that Waymo intends to collaborate closely with the agency.
To address these concerns, Waymo has already implemented software updates aimed at enhancing its self-driving performance and has plans for further updates. The company noted that during the incident, the school bus was partially obstructing a driveway from which the Waymo vehicle was exiting, and they affirmed that the vehicle maintained a safe distance from the children.
Additionally, according to Waymo, their driverless taxis have contributed to improved road safety, reporting a fivefold decrease in injury-related crashes compared to human drivers. Nonetheless, the company has experienced various challenges, including glitches and recalls.
In a separate incident last month, police in San Bruno, California, witnessed a Waymo vehicle making an illegal U-turn at a traffic light. Due to the absence of a human driver, officers were unable to issue a ticket, prompting them to inform the company about the violation instead. Currently, state laws interpret that traffic violations can only be penalized when there is an actual driver present.
California lawmakers have sought to address this enforcement gap with new legislation set to take effect in July, although some critics argue that the measures are insufficient. Waymo’s representative Julia Ilina mentioned that the company’s vehicles are already under rigorous oversight by California regulators and that the autonomous system is engineered to comply with traffic rules.
Waymo, which has been providing rides in Los Angeles since November, has recently expanded its service area within the city and in San Francisco, demonstrating the company’s ongoing efforts to broaden its operations while focusing on safety and regulatory compliance.