NTSB will examine why Waymo’s robotaxis are illegally passing faculty buses

Waymo has caught the eye of the Nationwide Transportation Security Board because the federal company launched an official investigation into the corporate for its robotaxis improperly passing faculty buses in Austin, Texas. The NTSB said on X that it could “look at the interplay between Waymo automobiles and faculty buses stopped for loading and unloading college students.”

The newest federal probe stems from a preliminary analysis by the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration that regarded into how Waymo reacts to stopped faculty buses within the Texas metropolis. That report led to Waymo’s voluntary software recall in December. Nonetheless, the varsity district stated in a memo that the robotaxis had been seen repeating the identical offense days after the software program replace.

As for the NTSB investigation, an company spokesperson advised the Austin American-Statesman that its “investigators will journey to Austin to collect data on a sequence of incidents through which the automated automobiles did not cease for loading or unloading college students.” Based on an NTSB spokesperson, a preliminary report can be out inside 30 days, however the remaining report will take anyplace between 12 and 24 months.

In response, Mauricio Peña, chief security officer for Waymo, stated in a press release to multiple news outlets that “there have been no collisions within the occasions in query, and we’re assured that our security efficiency round faculty buses is superior to human drivers,” including that the investigation can be “a possibility to supply the NTSB with clear insights into our safety-first method.”