Waymo Recalls Software After Robotaxis Fail to Stop for School Buses in Austin

Waymo has issued a voluntary software recall following multiple safety violations involving its autonomous vehicles and school buses in Austin, Texas. The Austin Independent School District reported 19 incidents where Waymo’s robotaxis either slowed inadequately or drove past stopped school buses—a violation that WOULD typically result in significant fines for human drivers.

The company attributed the failures to a software defect that caused its vehicles to misjudge stopped school buses, leading to brief hesitations rather than full stops. Despite deploying an initial fix on November 17, another violation occurred on December 1, indicating unresolved detection gaps.

This marks Waymo’s third recall, intensifying scrutiny over autonomous vehicle reliability. School officials and regulators are particularly concerned, as school bus stop-arm scenarios represent some of the highest-risk interactions on public roads. No injuries have been reported, but the repeated incidents have unsettled parents and local authorities.