The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a probe into Alphabet’s self-driving unit, Waymo, after Texas officials reported that the company’s autonomous vehicles illegally passed stopped school buses 19 times since the start of the school year.

The incidents raise concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles around school zones and the effectiveness of software updates designed to prevent violations.

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Details of the Alleged School Bus Violations

The probe follows a previous October incident in Georgia, where a Waymo vehicle failed to remain stationary when approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm deployed. Such actions violate state and federal traffic laws intended to protect children.

According to a November 20 letter from the Austin Independent School District, five additional incidents occurred in November despite Waymo claiming to have implemented software updates intended to prevent school bus violations.

The school district requested that Waymo halt self-driving operations around schools during pick-up and drop-off times until it could verify that its vehicles would not break the law.

“We cannot allow Waymo to continue endangering our students while it attempts to implement a fix,” said a district lawyer, referencing an incident in which a Waymo vehicle passed a stopped school bus moments after a student had crossed the road.

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NHTSA Requests Information from Waymo

In response to the Austin school district’s letter, NHTSA asked Waymo on November 24 whether it would comply with the request to cease operations around schools and whether it had successfully implemented software fixes to address the violations.

NHTSA’s letter specifically requested that Waymo provide answers by January 20 regarding:

• The details of all incidents involving school buses.
• The nature of software updates deployed to prevent such violations.
• Plans for any recalls or additional safety measures.

Despite these requests, Waymo has continued operations in Austin school zones. A December 1 incident involving an actively loading school bus highlighted that prior programming changes may not have fully resolved the safety issues.

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Waymo’s Response

In a statement, Waymo emphasized its commitment to safety but did not answer questions about halting operations or issuing recalls.

“We’re deeply invested in safe interaction with school buses. We swiftly implemented software updates to address this and will continue to rapidly improve,” the company said.

The ongoing investigation underscores the challenges of integrating autonomous vehicles into environments with unpredictable human behavior, especially around children.

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Safety Concerns and Public Implications

School zones are among the most sensitive areas for traffic safety. Violations by autonomous vehicles not only pose risks to children but also raise questions about regulatory oversight, testing standards, and accountability for companies deploying self-driving technology.

The NHTSA probe reflects a broader effort to ensure that autonomous vehicle technology meets strict safety standards, particularly when interacting with vulnerable populations like schoolchildren.