Waymo probed by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal school bus behavior

Core Viewpoint - The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into Waymo due to multiple incidents of its robotaxis illegally passing stopped school buses in at least two states, with a significant focus on over 20 occurrences in Austin, Texas [1][2]. Investigation Details - This marks the first investigation by the NTSB into Waymo, although it is the second inquiry regarding the company's school bus issues, following a similar probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that began in October [2]. - Waymo had previously issued a software recall in December to address the school bus problem, but earlier updates have not resolved the issue, leading the Austin school district to request a suspension of operations during school pickup and drop-off times [3]. Company Operations - The investigation coincides with Waymo's rapid expansion across the United States, including the recent launch of a robotaxi service in Miami, adding to its existing operations in cities like Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area [4]. Safety Performance - Waymo's chief safety officer stated that the company safely navigates thousands of school bus encounters weekly and believes its safety performance around school buses is superior to that of human drivers, emphasizing a commitment to transparency with the NTSB [5]. - The NTSB's role differs from the NHTSA as it does not impose fines but conducts in-depth investigations to identify root causes of transportation issues, often leading to hearings and non-binding recommendations [5]. Incident Examples - The first notable incident involving a Waymo vehicle passing a stopped school bus occurred in September in Atlanta, where the vehicle failed to recognize the stop sign and flashing lights, prompting a software update to address this scenario [8][9]. - Despite addressing the Atlanta incident, Waymo vehicles were subsequently recorded making illegal maneuvers around stopped school buses in Austin, as evidenced by videos from school bus cameras [10].