Waymo robotaxis kept illegally passing school buses after software fix, feds say

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a formal investigation into 2,895 Waymo vehicles after finding that a majority of the school-bus passing incidents occurred after a November 17, 2025, remedy date, according to Reuters. The probe covers Jaguar I-PACE vehicles equipped with Waymo's sixth-generation automated driving system that were manufactured between 2023 and 2025.

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation identified at least 12 incidents where Waymo robotaxis passed school buses that had their stop arms extended and flashing lights activated, The Wall Street Journal reported. In several cases, the vehicles passed on the right side of the bus where children board and exit, creating what the agency described as an "unreasonable risk to safety."

Waymo told regulators it deployed a software update in November 2025 designed to improve detection of stopped school buses and ensure the vehicles would remain stopped until the bus retracted its stop arm and deactivated its flashing lights. However, NHTSA said the remedy "did not adequately address the safety issue" because incidents continued after the update was installed.

The investigation could lead to a recall if NHTSA determines the vehicles contain a defect that poses an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. Yahoo Finance noted that while Alphabet's quarterly earnings are unlikely to be affected, the probe threatens the company's $126 billion investment in autonomous driving technology.

Waymo said in a statement that it takes the investigation seriously and is cooperating fully with NHTSA. The company emphasized that its vehicles have driven millions of miles without a single pedestrian or cyclist fatality. TechCrunch reported that Waymo maintains its robotaxis are safer than human drivers, though the school-bus passing incidents represent a specific failure mode the company has not yet resolved.

The probe adds to growing regulatory scrutiny of autonomous vehicle companies as they expand commercial operations in multiple U.S. cities. NHTSA has not set a timeline for completing its investigation.