Waymo Initiates Software Recall for Robotaxis Following School Bus Incidents
Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous driving subsidiary, has announced a voluntary software recall for its robotaxi fleet. The recall addresses concerns regarding how its self-driving vehicles behave around school buses, a decision prompted by escalating scrutiny from federal safety regulators and local school district officials.
The company plans to officially file the software recall with federal safety regulators early next week. Waymo stated that it identified the issue and implemented a software update on November 17, claiming this update significantly improved performance in these scenarios, even surpassing human drivers.
Increased Scrutiny and Reported Incidents
Waymo's decision follows mounting pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and criticism from officials in Atlanta and Austin. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) launched an initial probe into Waymo in October. This investigation was triggered by footage showing a Waymo autonomous vehicle maneuvering around a stopped school bus in Atlanta that had its stop sign extended and lights flashing while children were disembarking. In that particular incident, the robotaxi crossed perpendicularly in front of the bus from its right side before turning left and proceeding down the street.
Similar incidents have also been reported in Austin, where Waymo operates a robotaxi service in partnership with Uber. Officials from the Austin School District have asserted, in a letter available on NHTSA's website, that at least five such occurrences took place after Waymo's November 17 software update. The district further reported that Waymo robotaxis illegally passed school buses 19 times this year, leading NHTSA to send a letter on December 3 requesting detailed information about Waymo's fifth-generation self-driving system and operations.
Waymo's Commitment to Safety
"While we are incredibly proud of our strong safety record showing Waymo experiences twelve times fewer injury crashes involving pedestrians than human drivers, holding the highest safety standards means recognizing when our behavior should be better," said Mauricio Peña, Waymo's Chief Safety Officer, in an emailed statement. "As a result, we have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to appropriately slowing and stopping in these scenarios. We will continue analyzing our vehicles’ performance and making necessary fixes as part of our commitment to continuous improvement."
Waymo emphasized that no injuries have been reported in connection with the specific vehicle behavior addressed by this recall. The company maintains that safety is its paramount priority and has pledged to continue collaborating with NHTSA, investigating, tracking, and implementing further updates as necessary.
Context of Software Recalls
Software recalls have become increasingly common in the automotive industry, particularly with modern passenger vehicles and now robotaxis, where operations are heavily reliant on software. These updates or fixes are often deployed before an official recall is filed but still carry significant weight when formally reported to the federal government.
This is not Waymo's first software recall. The company issued a voluntary software recall earlier this year and two in 2024. One of these 2024 recalls followed an incident in Phoenix where a Waymo vehicle, operating without a human safety operator, collided with a telephone pole in an alley during a low-speed maneuver.
