Technical

Srinivasa Reddy Kandi: NTSB Launches Investigation into Waymo Robotaxis Over School Bus Safety Violations

January, 24, 2026-04:27

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NTSB Launches Investigation into Waymo Robotaxis Over School Bus Safety Violations:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into Waymo after multiple reports showed its autonomous vehicles illegally passing stopped school buses in at least two U.S. states.

According to a post shared by the agency on X on Friday, the probe will concentrate on more than 20 incidents recorded in Austin, Texas, where Waymo robotaxis allegedly failed to stop while school buses were loading or unloading children.

“NTSB investigators will travel to Austin to collect information related to a series of incidents involving automated vehicles that did not stop for school buses,” the agency said in a statement. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, while a final report could take between 12 and 24 months to complete.

This marks the first time Waymo has been investigated by the NTSB. However, it is the second federal inquiry related to the same issue. In October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation opened a separate probe into Waymo’s handling of school bus encounters.

Waymo previously issued a software recall intended to address the problem, but the issue has persisted. In Austin—where many of the incidents were captured on camera—the local school district has requested that Waymo suspend its robotaxi operations during student pickup and drop-off hours.

The investigation comes amid Waymo’s rapid expansion across the U.S. The company recently launched robotaxi services in Miami, adding to existing operations in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

In response, Waymo emphasized its safety record. “We safely navigate thousands of school bus encounters every week nationwide, and the Waymo Driver continues to improve,” said Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s chief safety officer. “There have been no collisions related to these incidents, and we believe our safety performance around school buses exceeds that of human drivers. We welcome the opportunity to share transparent insights with the NTSB.”

Author: Kandi Srinivasa Reddy, Srinivasa Reddy Kandi, #KandiSrinivasaReddy, #SrinivasaReddyKandi