The autonomous ride-hailing company Waymo plans to file a voluntary software recall after reports that some of its self-driving taxis passed stopped school buses with their red lights flashing and stop arms deployed.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation in October after a media report of a Waymo vehicle that failed to remain stopped for a bus. A television station in Atlanta aired video in September showing a Waymo vehicle driving around a stopped school bus. The NHTSA docket also includes a letter from the Austin Independent School District documenting 19 instances in which Waymo vehicles “illegally and dangerously” passed that district’s buses. The district’s letter says one of those vehicles drove past a stopped bus moments after a student crossed in front of it while the student was still in the roadway.
Waymo Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Peña told NPR that the company is proud of its safety record but recognizes when its behavior should improve. Peña said Waymo identified a software issue that contributed to the incidents, believes subsequent updates will address the problem, and plans to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA early next week. The company said no injuries have been reported in connection with the issue.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has emphasized safety in public statements, saying its driverless cars have far fewer crashes than vehicles with human drivers. In the cities where it operates, Waymo reports 91% fewer crashes with serious injuries and 92% fewer crashes with pedestrian injuries. Independent analyses from Ars Technica and the newsletter Understanding AI have supported the company’s claim that its vehicles crash less often than human-driven cars. Still, federal regulators have asked Waymo for much more information about the reported incidents.
NHTSA notes Waymo’s autonomous vehicles surpassed 100 million miles of driving last July and continue to accumulate about 2 million miles per week, and the agency says “the likelihood of other prior similar incidents is high.” Investigators recently sent Waymo a list of detailed questions as part of the inquiry and gave the company until Jan. 20, 2026, to respond.
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