On the Dash:
- NHTSA has opened a probe into 2,000 Waymo robotaxis after a vehicle in Atlanta illegally passed a stopped school bus unloading children.
- The incident involved a fully autonomous vehicle operating without a safety driver, prompting Waymo to implement new safety updates.
- This marks NHTSA’s third investigation into Waymo’s autonomous systems, citing a high likelihood of similar incidents amid the company’s rapid expansion.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is opening a probe into 2,000 Waymo robotaxis amid safety concerns of the vehicles failing to adhere to traffic safety laws regarding stopped school buses. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened the probe after a media report and video footage emerged showing a Waymo robotaxi illegally passing a stopped school bus.
The incident occurred on Sept. 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. The footage shows the bus stopped with its red safety lights, stop arm and crossing control arm engaged. The robotaxi paused briefly before maneuvering around the front of the bus and passing it while children were getting off. There were no injuries reported.
The vehicle was operating Waymo’s fifth-generation automated driving system without a safety driver at the time of the incident. A Waymo spokesperson stated that the company was aware of the probe and confirmed that it is working on the implementation of safety updates related to stopped school buses.
Waymo’s fleet of robotaxi includes over 1,500 vehicles operating across multiple major U.S. cities. The company recently celebrated surpassing over 10 million driverless rides, and through June 2025, it had completed over 96 million rider-only miles. In its report, NHTSA said it believes there is a high likelihood of similar incidents.
This probe is the third and latest federal investigation into Waymo’s autonomous driving systems. Last year, the safety agency launched a probe into the company’s vehicles after 22 reports of questional driving behaviors and 17 collisions.
The robotaxi company is rapidly expanding its service to more major U.S. cities and plans to go international, recently announcing its intentions to enter London and Tokyo.
