NTSB Opens Investigation Into Waymo Robotaxis After School Bus Safety Violations in Texas

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a formal investigation into Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Alphabet, following multiple incidents in which its autonomous vehicles illegally passed stopped school buses in Austin, Texas. According to officials, Waymo robotaxis violated school bus safety laws at least 19 times since the start of the current school year, raising serious concerns about student safety and autonomous vehicle compliance.

The investigation comes after Waymo recalled more than 3,000 self-driving vehicles in December to update software that had allowed cars to drive past school buses while students were boarding or exiting. Such actions are illegal in Texas and many other states due to the high risk they pose to children. Prior to the NTSB’s involvement, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a separate probe in October to examine Waymo vehicle behavior near school buses.

Waymo stated that none of the reported incidents resulted in collisions or injuries. The company emphasized that its autonomous driving system, known as the Waymo Driver, encounters thousands of school buses every week across the United States and continues to improve through software updates. Waymo also asserted that it is confident its safety performance around school buses exceeds that of human drivers.

However, documents released by NHTSA show that concerns persisted even after software updates. In a November 20 letter, the Austin Independent School District reported five additional incidents occurring in November following Waymo’s attempted fixes. The district urged Waymo to suspend autonomous vehicle operations near schools during student pick-up and drop-off hours until the issue was fully resolved.

In December, the school district told Reuters that Waymo declined to halt operations near schools. Legal representatives for the district argued that continued robotaxi operations endangered students, citing video evidence of a Waymo vehicle driving past a stopped school bus moments after a student crossed in front of the vehicle while still in the roadway.

The ongoing investigations highlight growing scrutiny of autonomous vehicle safety, particularly around vulnerable road users such as children. As regulators assess Waymo’s technology and response, the outcome could have significant implications for the future deployment of self-driving cars in urban environments.