NTSB Probes Waymo Robotaxis Over School Bus Incidents

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis were repeatedly observed illegally passing stopped school buses in at least two states. This marks the first NTSB probe into Waymo, adding to growing scrutiny over the safety of its autonomous vehicles.

The NTSB confirmed its focus on more than 20 incidents that have occurred specifically in Austin, Texas. In a statement to TechCrunch, the safety board indicated that investigators would travel to Austin to gather information on these events, where Waymo's automated vehicles failed to stop for students loading or unloading from buses.

A preliminary report from the NTSB is anticipated within 30 days, with a more comprehensive final report expected to be published in 12 to 24 months.

Second Federal Probe for Waymo

This NTSB investigation is the second federal inquiry into Waymo's conduct around school buses. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation launched a similar probe last October. Furthermore, Waymo itself issued a software recall late last year to address the issue, but previous updates have not fully resolved the problem.

In Austin, Texas, where the majority of these incidents have been captured on camera, the local school district has even requested that Waymo suspend its operations during student pickup and drop-off times.

Waymo's Rapid Expansion Amidst Scrutiny

The new investigation comes as Waymo is aggressively expanding its services across the United States. Just recently, the company launched its robotaxi service in Miami, adding to existing operations in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s chief safety officer, addressed the situation in a statement to TechCrunch, asserting, "We safely navigate thousands of school bus encounters weekly across the United States, and the Waymo Driver is continuously improving. There have been no collisions in the events in question, and we are confident that our safety performance around school buses is superior to human drivers." Peña added, "We see this as an opportunity to provide the NTSB with transparent insights into our safety-first approach."

NTSB vs. NHTSA: Understanding the Roles

It's important to distinguish between the NTSB and the NHTSA. Unlike the NHTSA, which is a federal regulatory agency capable of issuing fines and penalties, the NTSB primarily conducts in-depth investigations to identify the root causes of transportation problems. Upon completing an investigation, the NTSB typically holds hearings and issues non-binding recommendations aimed at improving safety.

Documented Incidents

One of the first notable incidents involving a Waymo vehicle and a school bus occurred last September in Atlanta. In this event, a Waymo vehicle pulled out of a driveway, crossed perpendicularly in front of a school bus from its right side, and then turned left, proceeding down the street while children were disembarking. Waymo stated at the time that the vehicle was unable to detect the bus's stop sign or flashing lights and later claimed to have addressed this specific scenario with a software update.

However, despite these software patches, Waymo vehicles continued to be caught passing stopped school buses in Austin, Texas. Local news outlet KXAN published videos from school bus cameras, documenting multiple illegal maneuvers by the autonomous vehicles.

Peña reiterated Waymo's commitment, stating, "We continue to engage productively with the Austin Independent School District and applaud their reported success in reducing human-driven violations around school buses from 10,000+ a year."