Waymo plans to voluntarily issue a software recall with federal safety regulators about how its robotaxis works around school buses, the Alphabet-owned company told TechCrunch.
The voluntary software recall will be filed early next week, according to the company. Waymo said that once the problem was identified, it updated its software on November 17. The company claims that this update has significantly improved performance to a level better than human drivers in this important area.
Software recalls have become more common in the era of modern passenger vehicles – and now robotics – in which functions are handled by software. These updates or corrections are often made before the official recall, but still carry weight when submitted to the federal government.
Waymo’s decision follows increased scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and criticism from officials in Atlanta and Austin over how its robotics operate around school buses.
NHTSA’s Office of Injury Investigation (ODI) opened its initial investigation into Waymo in October after seeing footage of its self-driving vehicle maneuvering around a stopped school bus — stop sign extended and lights flashing — that was dropping off children in Atlanta. In that incident, a Waymo robotaxi crossed directly in front of the school bus on its right side. The autonomous vehicle then turned left around the front of the bus before traveling down the road.
Other similar incidents have surfaced in Austin, where the company also operates a robotaxi service with partner Uber. Austin School District officials claim, in a letter available on NHTSA’s website, that at least five of those occurred after Waymo said it updated its software.
The agency sent a letter Dec. 3 to Waymo seeking more information about its self-driving system and operations after reports from the Austin School District that its robot taxi illegally passed school buses 19 times this year. Regulators asked for detailed information about the fifth-generation self-driving system and functions.
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“While we’re incredibly proud of our strong safety record that shows Waymo has twelve times fewer pedestrian injury crashes than human drivers, holding ourselves to the highest safety standards means we recognize when our behavior needs to be better,” said Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer in an emailed statement. “As a result, we have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA regarding appropriate slowing and stopping in these scenarios. We will continue to analyze the performance of our vehicles and make the necessary corrections as part of our commitment to continuous improvement.”
There were no injuries related to the behavior of the vehicle addressed by this recall, according to the company, which has emphasized that safety is its top priority and will continue to work with NHTSA.
The company says it will continue to research, monitor and apply more updates as needed.
Waymo issued a voluntary software recall earlier this year as well as two in 2024, including one issued when a Waymo vehicle in Phoenix, driving without a human safety operator, collided with a telephone pole in an alley during a low-speed pullover maneuver.
