Road safety has knocked on Waymo’s door once again. Just a few days after an investigation was opened by authorities, the company decided to recall 3,067 of its autonomous vehicles. Why? Because these little technological wonders nearly ran a red light in front of school buses. Yes, you heard that right: robotaxis in “I don’t see the danger” mode. A remake of a disaster movie, but in reality!
A loud recall
Waymo has decided to recall 3,067 autonomous vehicles due to a software issue. Imagine the scene: a robotaxi passes in front of a stopped school bus, with its flashing red lights and deployed stop arm. A small detail that could have dramatic consequences, especially for a child about to get off the vehicle.
The details of the malfunction
The problem seems to stem from faulty software, as confirmed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Surprisingly, the latter did not provide a detailed safety report, but noted that the affected vehicles were equipped with Waymo’s fifth-generation automated driving system, updated before November 5, 2025. A fine example of double-edged technology!
A swift update
Waymo did not take long to act: the software of the impacted vehicles was updated by November 17, even before the recall was officially announced. In short, Waymo anticipated the problem and took the initiative to avoid a potentially dangerous situation. A proactive management that deserves to be praised, even if one might wonder how such a malfunction went unnoticed.
An ongoing investigation
All of this began when the NHTSA opened an investigation into the “performance of Waymo’s automated driving system around stopped school buses.” What triggered this attention? An incident where a robotaxi bypassed a stopped bus without following traffic rules. If you thought autonomous cars were models of law-abiding behavior, think again!
A concerning behavior
During this incident, the robotaxi initially braked before turning right to avoid colliding with the front right of the bus, then turned left to pass in front of the vehicle. To summarize: a ballet of evasive maneuvers that sends chills down your spine! Authorities reported that the vehicle passed the deployed control arm near children getting off the bus. All this without a driver on board, as if it were a scene from an action movie where the hero must save the day all by themselves.
Careful miles traveled
At the time the preliminary evaluation was opened, Waymo announced that its vehicles were traveling about 2 million miles per week, which represents over 100 million cumulative miles. One could say that with such distance traveled, the chances of other similar incidents occurring are quite high. We are far from the peace of mind desired for such an innovative service.
Conclusion: enhanced vigilance necessary
In summary, even though the recall should alleviate concerns about the safety of Waymo’s robotaxis, questions remain about the reliability and effectiveness of autonomous systems. As this technology promises wonders for our driving future, it is essential that companies take their responsibilities seriously and ensure that technological advancements do not come at the expense of user safety. After all, it’s better to be cautious than to be angry in the queue of a school bus!
