US Regulators Question Effectiveness of Waymo School Bus Safety Recall
Federal authorities are investigating why Waymo robotaxis continued illegally passing school buses after software updates.
1Federal Investigation Initiated
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a formal investigation into Waymo’s software recall. Regulators are assessing whether the company’s mid-November 2025 software update successfully prevented autonomous vehicles from illegally passing stopped school buses. These buses utilize flashing red lights and extended stop arms to signal student loading and unloading.
2Persistent Safety Failures
Despite Waymo issuing a voluntary recall in mid-December 2025, federal filings indicate that the majority of illegal passing incidents occurred after the software fix was deployed. The National Transportation Safety Board also identified a mid-January incident, confirming that the autonomous vehicles continued to violate traffic laws weeks after the update.
3Specific Incident Documentation
The Office of Defects Investigation initiated this query following reports from Atlanta and Austin. In one documented Atlanta case, a robotaxi maneuvered perpendicularly in front of a bus, turning left around the front while children were unloading. Austin Independent School District officials reported at least five similar incidents involving Waymo vehicles.
4Data Collection Limitations
To improve performance, Waymo coordinated with the Austin school district to conduct a half-day data collection event. This session involved using actual school buses and stop-arm signals in an empty parking lot. Despite this effort to train the software on specific street maneuvers, the illegal passing incidents continued to occur thereafter.
5Company Stance and Defense
Waymo spokesperson Dana Gallagher stated the company has made significant improvements to vehicle behavior around school buses. The company claims it has not been cited for passing school buses since March 2026. Waymo maintains it looks forward to continued engagement with regulators regarding the recall processes for its evolving software systems.
6Regulatory Recall Mechanisms
A recall query is a formal regulatory tool used to assess the adequacy of a remedy provided by an automaker. When software updates fail to resolve safety defects, regulators evaluate whether the manufacturer’s technical solution was sufficient. This process ensures that autonomous systems comply with legal requirements across all fifty states.
7Financial and Legal Risks
Historical precedents for recall queries suggest significant financial implications for developers. In past cases involving automotive and software recalls, investigations have led to civil penalties. These fines can reach tens of millions of dollars if regulators determine that a company failed to adequately address identified safety risks in their vehicles.
8Future Regulatory Outlook
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities compare incident timelines against the deployment of software patches. The outcome will determine if further corrective actions are necessary for Waymo’s fleet. Stakeholders are monitoring the situation to see if additional oversight is required for autonomous vehicles operating in environments with school bus traffic.
Original article: Wired — US Regulators Question Effectiveness of Waymo School Bus Safety Recall