Waymo taxis are under investigation after failing to stop for a school bus

About 2,000 Waymo vehicles are under investigation after reports of a self-driving taxi driving around a school bus while children are getting off.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a preliminary investigation on Oct. 17 to examine the performance of Waymo’s autonomous technology around stopped school buses and how the system is designed to comply with school bus traffic safety laws, the investigation file.

The incident occurred on Sept. 22 in Atlanta, Georgia, when a Waymo approached the right side of a stopped school bus using a Mountain View, Calif., company’s fifth-generation self-driving system. The vehicle initially stopped, but then went in front of the bus and crossed to the left, the filing said.

The car ignored the extended bus stop on the left and the traffic control arm on the right, near where the students were disembarking. The bus was flashing a red light. NHTSA said similar incidents are likely before.

“Safety is our top priority, as we provide hundreds of thousands of fully autonomous paid trips every week in the most challenging driving environments,” a Waymo spokesperson said. “NHTSA plays an important role in road safety, and we will continue to work closely with the agency as part of our mission to become the world’s most trusted driver.”

Vimo has already updated the software to improve its self-driving performance, and has plans for additional updates, the spokesperson said. The school bus was partially blocking the driveway that Waymo was pulling out of during the incident, and the vehicle kept a safe distance from the children, the company said.

According to Waymo, driverless taxis improve road safety conditions in the communities in which they operate, achieving a five-fold reduction in injury-related accidents compared to human drivers. However, disruptions and recalls have been observed in the company’s operations.

Last month, police officers in San Bruno, CA saw a self-driving Waymo make an illegal U-turn at a traffic light. The San Bruno Police Department said officers could not issue a ticket because there was no human operator. Instead, the department contacted the company to inform them of the breach.

When drivers themselves violate the rules of the road, law enforcement cannot punish them the way they do humans. As state law explains, traffic tickets can only be issued to a principal driver.

California lawmakers have tried to close the enforcement loophole with legislation that will take effect in July, but critics say the law isn’t strong enough.

Waymo spokeswoman Julia Elena said the company’s vehicles are already subject to shutdowns and ongoing monitoring by California regulators, and that the company’s autonomous driving system is “designed to respect the rules of the road.”

Waymo, which has been offering rides in Los Angeles since November, expanded its service coverage in the city and San Francisco this summer.