The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a formal investigation into Waymo's autonomous vehicle division following numerous concerning incidents involving the company's self-driving cars and school buses.
The federal probe comes after 22 separate reports were filed detailing Waymo's driverless vehicles exhibiting potentially dangerous behaviour around school transportation. According to documents obtained by investigators, these incidents include several "apparent traffic law violations" and close calls that could have endangered children.
Concerning Patterns Emerge
Federal safety regulators identified multiple patterns of problematic behaviour from Waymo's autonomous system. The investigation will focus particularly on how these vehicles navigate around school buses—situations that require careful judgement and adherence to specific traffic laws designed to protect young passengers.
One particularly alarming incident involved a Waymo vehicle "committing a traffic law violation" by passing a school bus while it was displaying its stop sign—a serious infraction that could have catastrophic consequences in traditional driving scenarios.
What the Investigation Will Examine
The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation will conduct a thorough examination of:
- Waymo's automated driving system decision-making processes
- How the technology detects and responds to school bus stop arms
- The company's collision avoidance capabilities in complex traffic situations
- Potential software flaws that could lead to dangerous behaviour
This investigation represents a significant escalation in regulatory scrutiny of autonomous vehicle technology, coming at a time when companies like Waymo have been expanding their commercial operations across multiple American cities.
Industry Implications
The probe raises important questions about the readiness of fully driverless technology for widespread deployment, particularly in environments where vulnerable road users like children are present. While autonomous vehicles promise revolutionary safety improvements, incidents involving school buses strike at the heart of public trust in the technology.
Waymo now faces the challenge of addressing these safety concerns while maintaining its position as an industry leader in the competitive autonomous vehicle market.
