Waymo robotaxis kept illegally passing school buses after software fix, feds say

Federal safety regulators have reopened scrutiny of Waymo’s robotaxis after reports that they continued driving illegally past stopped school buses despite a software update intended to correct the behavior. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says most reported incidents happened after Waymo completed the update for affected vehicles on November 17, 2025. Its Office of Defects Investigation has launched a recall query to determine whether the fix was adequate. The agency’s original investigation began in October 2025, following video from Atlanta showing a robotaxi pass in front of a bus with its stop sign extended and warning lights flashing as children were getting off.

Further incidents were reported in Austin, where school district officials documented at least five cases. The reports raise questions about whether the software remedy worked across the fleet and how regulators should assess recalls for autonomous-driving systems that can be updated and continue to learn. Waymo says it has substantially improved how its vehicles respond to school buses and has received no citations since March 2026. The company also says its technology has a positive effect on road safety and that it will respond to the regulator’s inquiry. The new review focuses specifically on the effectiveness of the earlier fix, rather than announcing a new recall or finding that the system remains defective.