- Waymo recalled 3,067 robotaxis after a software bug caused some cars to drive past stopped school buses with flashing lights or extended stop signs.
- The issue could have put children in danger, but Waymo fixed the software before the recall was officially announced.
- The recall followed an investigation triggered by a viral video where a Waymo car drove around a school bus unloading kids.
- Waymo cars drive over 2 million miles weekly, so rare incidents can occur, but the investigation into their school-bus behavior is still ongoing.
Waymo has recalled 3,067 robotaxis due to a software failure. The taxis sometimes drive past a stopped school bus even when the bus has its red warning lights flashing or its stop sign arm extended.
It can create a dangerous situation where the robotaxi could accidentally hit a child getting on or off the bus. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue affected the 5th-generation Automated Driving System (ADS). The software was installed on November 5, 2025, and a fix was deployed by November 17, before the recall was deployed.
It means the company has actually solved the issue before the recall was officially announced.
When Did It all Start?
The recall happened about a month after the NHTSA started investigating how Waymo’s self-driving taxis behave around stopped school buses. Through this investigation, the government aims to determine whether the system adheres to school-bus safety laws, particularly when the bus has its stop signs and warning lights activated.
The investigation began after a concerning incident in Atlanta on September 22. A dashcam video recorded the incident, showing a Waymo Jaguar I-Pace pulling up beside a bus unloading children. Instead of stopping and waiting like a human driver, the vehicle smoothly drove around the front of the bus and continued on its way.
After the video, the situation grew bigger, and an investigation began. Investigators discovered 19 more similar incidents in Austin. Since August, a total of 20 cases have been reported where Waymo cars behaved incorrectly around school buses.
Waymo’s Mileage Puts Things in Perspective
Following the investigation, it was found that Waymo cars collectively drive around 2 million miles every week and have logged over 100 million miles in total. As these vehicles are on the road so much, investigators suspected this might be the only time something like this happened.
However, the investigation is still ongoing; issuing this recall or software fix is expected to ease some of the concerns about the automated driving system’s behavior around school buses.
Waymo Stays the Course With Software Updates
As Waymo robotaxis cover a huge distance, unusual incidents are bound to happen once in a while. It doesn’t mean the technology is failing. Even though some schools have asked Waymo to stop running its cars, the company has decided to continue with its services.
They’ll keep introducing software updates to enhance their services. The incident serves as a reminder that even advanced self-driving systems can misread a school zone—much like a distracted human driver ignoring a yield sign.
What are Your Thoughts?
Now, I want to hear from you:
- Would you trust a robotaxi near school zones?
- How many more fixes before Waymo feels safe?
- Does this prove human drivers are still better?
Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.
Sources: CarScoops
