Waymo robotaxis' absurd behaviour around school buses invokes software recall

Alphabet-owned robotaxi service Waymo has confirmed to roll out a voluntary software recall following its robotaxis' absurd interaction with school buses.

After identifying the issue, Waymo released a software update on November 17, which it said has significantly enhanced performance, surpassing that of human drivers in critical situations.

As for the latest Waymo software update, the company aims to file this recall with federal safety regulators next week.

The Waymo recall comes on the heels of increased scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and criticism from officials in Atlanta and Austin regarding the behaviour of Waymo’s robotaxis around school buses.

NHTSA kicked off an investigation in October after footage showed a Waymo vehicle moving around a stopped school bus whose stop sign was extended and lights flashing while unloading children.

At least five similar incidents took place after the software update, as outlined in the reports from the Austin School District indicate, after which the NHTSA requested detailed information regarding Waymo’s self-driving system and operations, particularly after the robotaxis illegally passed school buses 19 times this year.

Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer, Mauricio Peña, assured of the company's commitment to safety, noting that its injury crashes are twelve times less than human drivers.

He stated that the decision to issue the recall reflects a commitment to ensure safety standards, adding that no injuries have been reported related to the behaviours addressed by this recall, and that Waymo will continue to monitor and update its systems as necessary.