The US’s primary transportation security regulator mentioned on Monday it had opened a preliminary investigation into about 2,000 Waymo self-driving automobiles after studies that the corporate’s robotaxis might have did not observe site visitors security legal guidelines round stopped faculty buses.
The investigation by the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) is the most recent federal overview of self-driving programs as regulators scrutinize how driverless applied sciences work together with pedestrians, cyclists and different highway customers.
NHTSA mentioned the Workplace of Defects Investigation opened the overview after flagging a media report describing an incident wherein a Waymo autonomous car didn’t stay stationary when approaching a faculty bus with its crimson lights flashing, cease arm deployed and crossing management arm prolonged.
The report mentioned the Waymo car initially stopped beside the bus then maneuvered round its entrance, passing the prolonged cease arm and crossing management arm whereas college students have been disembarking.
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Waymo has mentioned its robotaxi fleet has greater than 1,500 automobiles working throughout main US cities, together with Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin and New York Metropolis subsequent yr. The Alphabet-owned firm additionally plans to increase internationally, with launches in cities together with London in 2026 Tokyo within the coming years.
A Waymo spokesperson mentioned the corporate had “already developed and applied enhancements associated to stopping for varsity buses and can land further software program updates in our subsequent software program launch”.
The corporate added: “Driving safely round youngsters has all the time been certainly one of Waymo’s highest priorities. Within the occasion referenced, the car approached the varsity bus from an angle the place the flashing lights and cease signal weren’t seen and drove slowly across the entrance of the bus earlier than driving previous it, conserving a protected distance from youngsters.”
NHTSA mentioned the car concerned was geared up with Waymo’s fifth-generation automated driving system and was working and not using a human security driver on the time of the incident.
