NHTSA probes whether Waymo fixed robotaxis passing stopped school buses

Experts say Waymo vehicles are required to follow traffic laws like any other car or truck, regardless of whether a human is behind the wheel.

Waymo released a software update a year ago that was intended to make the white robotaxis stop when school buses stop.

But there have been reports, including from Austin ISD, that Waymo vehicles have not stopped after the software update.

In 2026, the city of Austin reports Waymo has had three school bus stop arm violations and five school safety issue incidents.

In a statement, the company said, "We have made significant improvements to vehicle behavior around school buses and have received no citations since March 2026."