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

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into Waymo's robotaxis for illegally passing stopped school buses in Austin, Texas. This inquiry follows a preliminary evaluation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which examined how Waymo vehicles respond to school buses that are stopped for loading and unloading students. The NTSB's investigation will focus on the interaction between Waymo vehicles and these school buses, as stated by an agency spokesperson. The investigation comes after Waymo's voluntary software recall in December, which was prompted by concerns regarding the robotaxis' behavior around stopped school buses. Despite the software update, the Austin Independent School District reported that Waymo vehicles continued to commit the same offense shortly after the update was implemented. This has raised further concerns about the effectiveness of the changes made to the robotaxi's software. The NTSB's investigation will involve on-site information gathering in Austin to assess a series of incidents where Waymo's automated vehicles failed to stop for loading or unloading students. The agency aims to determine the underlying reasons for these violations and ensure compliance with traffic safety regulations. The situation highlights ongoing scrutiny of autonomous vehicle operations and their adherence to traffic laws, particularly in sensitive areas such as school zones.