Waymo Issues Recall After Self-Driving Cars Fail to Stop for School Buses

Waymo has announced a voluntary software recall after several of its self-driving taxis were reported to have illegally passed stopped school buses. According to NPR, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, opened an investigation in October following media reports of a Waymo vehicle failing to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm deployed.

The Austin Independent School District documented 19 such incidents, including one where a Waymo car passed a bus just moments after a student crossed in front. Waymo's Chief Safety Officer, Mauricio Pena, stated that the company is committed to maintaining high safety standards and has identified a software issue contributing to the incidents.

Waymo plans to file the recall early next week, with no injuries reported from these events. Despite these concerns, Waymo claims that its vehicles are statistically safer than those driven by humans, with 91% fewer serious injuries and 92% fewer pedestrian injuries.

However, NHTSA is demanding more information from Waymo about these incidents, setting a deadline for a response by January 20, 2026. The recall comes as Waymo continues its operations, having recently received approval to expand its driverless taxi services in the Bay Area and beyond, indicating a persistent public trust issue, according to tech analyst Ahmed Banafa from San Jose State University.

He emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in building consumer confidence in autonomous vehicles.