Severity major: A regulator is involved: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened a probe into Waymo over school bus behavior.
Earliest source we hold 2026-10-15
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened a probe into Waymo robotaxis after reviewing early-October footage of a vehicle maneuvering around a stopped, unloading school bus in Atlanta; WXIA-TV aired similar video in September. Waymo has 20 school-bus citations from Austin ISD and told regulators it plans a voluntary software recall.
Risk grouping: Not yet classified
The AI's part
Caused it “The agency reviewed footage from early October showing one of its vehicles maneuvering around a stopped, unloading school bus in Atlanta.”source
No source we hold states: who caused it, intended or not, before or after release.
The story
1 · What it was doingWaymo robotaxis were driving passengers in U.S. cities, including Atlanta, operating autonomously around schools and stopped buses.
2 · What went wrongA Waymo vehicle maneuvered around a stopped, unloading school bus instead of waiting, and the company has 20 school-bus citations from Austin ISD.
3 · What it reached or didThe behavior touched stopped school buses and children near schools in Atlanta and Austin; NHTSA says similar prior incidents are likely.
4 · How it was caughtWXIA-TV aired video in September, and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation reviewed early-October footage of the Atlanta incident.
5 · What was doneNHTSA opened a probe; Waymo told regulators it plans a voluntary software recall to fix the behavior.