Waymo is issuing a software recall for its self-driving cars after reports the company's autonomous vehicles failed to stop for school buses.
Waymo is issuing a software recall for its self-driving cars after reports the company's autonomous vehicles failed to stop for school buses.A Waymo autonomous Jaguar electric vehicle is seen in Tempe, Ariz.
, on the outskirts of Phoenix, on Sept. 15. The company is recalling software for its robotaxis after reports that some of them failed to stop for school buses.The autonomous ride-hailing service Waymo plans to file a voluntarily software recall after several reports that its self-driving taxis illegally passed stopped school buses.in response to"a media report involving a Waymo AV that failed to remain stopped when approaching a school bus that was stopped with its red lights flashing, stop arm deployed, and crossing control arm deployed."from the Austin Independent School District, saying the district has documented 19 instances of Waymo vehicles"illegally and dangerously" passing the district's school buses. The letter, signed by the district's senior counsel, says in one instance the Waymo vehicle drove past the stopped bus"only moments after a student crossed in front of the vehicle, and while the student was still in the road." In a statement emailed to NPR, Waymo Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Peña said that while the company is proud of its safety record,"holding the highest safety standards means recognizing when our behavior should be better." Peña wrote that Waymo plans"to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA" and it"will continue analyzing our vehicles performance and making necessary fixes." The company says it identified a software issue that contributed to the incidents and it believes subsequent updates will fix the problem. Waymo says it plans to file the voluntary recall early next week and it points out that no injuries have occurred because of this problem.focused on safety in public statements, showing that driverless Waymo cars have a lot fewer crashes than those with human drivers. In the cities where the company operates, it says there have been 91% fewer crashes with serious injuries and 92% fewer crashes with pedestrian injuries.support Waymo's claim that its AVs are safer than human drivers. Still, federal regulators are asking the company to provide a lot more information about these incidents.According to NHTSA, Waymo's AVs surpassed 100 million miles of driving last July and continue to accumulate 2 million miles a week. Given that and discussions with Waymo, the agency says"the likelihood of other prior similar incidents is high."about the incidents to Waymo as part of its inquiry. The agency asked Waymo to document similar incidents and provide more information about how it has responded. NHTSA set a deadline of Jan. 20, 2026, for Waymo to respond.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Waymo Just Reprogrammed Its Robotaxis to Drive Less SafelyAt Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power -- using economics, history, and policy as a set of tools to explore the meaning behind today's chaotic headlines. As a writer, I'm interested in topics ranging from labor struggles to transit breakthroughs to startups nobody asked for.
Read more »
US investigating Waymo after footage captures self-driving cars illegally moving past school buses in TexasThe federal safety agency NHTSA investigating Waymo's autonomous vehicles after 20 citations for illegally passing stopped school buses in Austin, Texas.
Read more »
Should lawmakers ban self-driving taxi company Waymo in San Diego?The autonomous vehicle company wants to deploy robotaxis in San Diego next year.
Read more »
Waymo refuses AISD request to cease operations after 20th school bus violation since Aug.Waymo received its 20th citation from Austin ISD since the beginning of the school year on Monday. This comes after the National HIghway Traffic Safety Administ
Read more »
U.S. expands investigation into Waymo over robotaxis driving around stopped school busesFederal regulators are investigating multiple Texas incidents in which the robotaxis drove around stopped school buses.
Read more »
Waymo Self-Driving Cars Under Investigation for Ignoring School Bus Safety ProtocolsAustin Independent School District is investigating Waymo self-driving cars for failing to stop for school buses with flashing lights and deployed stop arms. Despite a software fix, incidents continue, leading the district to request a halt to Waymo operations during student loading and unloading. Waymo has responded with a voluntary software recall.
Read more »