Waymo's Self-Driving Taxis Under Investigation Again for Illegally Passing School Bus

Waymo's robotaxi vehicles have once again drawn regulatory scrutiny after illegally passing stopped school buses that were loading or unloading students. Although the company underwent an investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last year over similar incidents and issued a software recall, the issue has not been fully resolved. Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it has launched a new investigation focusing on more than 20 similar incidents in Austin, Texas. The NTSB plans to release a preliminary report within 30 days, with a final report expected in 12 to 24 months. It should be noted that the NTSB does not have enforcement authority; however, it will hold hearings and issue safety recommendations following its investigation.