Waymo school-bus violations prompt new safety investigation

Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are racking up local traffic violations, and now the federal government is getting involved.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Waymo after its autonomous vehicles were caught violating several traffic laws around school buses in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia.

NHTSA said in a letter sent to the Alphabet-owned company Wednesday that it was investigating its automated driving system as well as its ability to “comply with traffic safety laws” when school buses are nearby. The Office of Defects Investigation, part of NHTSA, began investigating Waymo’s school bus violations in October, after one of its autonomous vehicles “failed to remain stopped” around a stopped school bus in Atlanta.

In addition to the Georgia incident, Waymo has received 20 traffic citations for passing stopped Austin Independent School District school buses since the start of the school year, according to a Friday report from CBS Austin. Austin ISD admitted to at least 19 of these incidents; Quartz reached out to the school district to confirm the most recent alleged violation.

Austin ISD said five of those incidents occurred after Waymo told the school district in a separate Nov. 5 letter that “software updates were in place to address the issue,” according to a Nov. 20 letter from Austin ISD to Waymo.

The school district asked Waymo to “immediately cease” operations during school pickup and drop-off hours “until further software updates are completed.” Austin ISD said in its letter that Waymo “records an average of 1.5 violations per week.”

“We cannot allow Waymo to continue to put our students at risk while it attempts to implement a solution,” the school district said.

Austin ISD said Waymo denied its request to stop operations when school buses were in use, CBS Austin reported.

Waymo said in a statement Tuesday that it had “quickly implemented software updates” to address school bus incidents and would “continue to monitor and implement more as necessary.”

Waymo did not immediately respond to Quartz’s request for comment.

NHTSA requested additional information from Waymo, including vehicle incident reports, its “approach to safety around stopped school buses,” whether its approach varies by location.

“ODI is concerned that ADS-equipped vehicles exhibiting such unexpected driving behaviors or failing to comply with traffic safety laws regarding school buses may increase the risk of crashes, injuries, and property damage,” NHTSA said.

If Waymo does not respond “promptly and completely” to NHTSA’s letter, the administration said the company could be subject to civil penalties, including fines of up to $27,874 per violation per day. Waymo has until January 20 to respond to NHTSA’s requests. She can request an extension “at the latest five working days before the response due date,” specifies the administration.

As Waymo faces safety concerns, a new investigation and the death of a bodega cat, it’s also apparently trying to make its vehicles drive more like humans do, according to a report published Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal.