Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving car technology company, has confirmed another software recall for its robotaxi fleet. This recall does not involve recalling physical vehicles; instead, it uses a software update to correct an issue where vehicles fail to stop properly when encountering stopped school buses.
Ignoring "stop and wait" signs and driving straight through, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation.
This voluntary recall is primarily in response to recent calls from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).Investigation ReportThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that some Waymo vehicles violated traffic rules by driving through school buses in Atlanta and Austin, even when the school buses had displayed "STOP" signs and flashing warning lights.
In U.S. traffic laws, failing to yield to a school bus that is waiting is a serious violation because it directly endangers the safety of children getting on and off the bus.
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Waymo's Chief Safety Officer, Mauricio Peña, issued a statement saying that although data shows Waymo's pedestrian collisions are far fewer than those involving human drivers, the company is well aware that "we should behave better."
Mauricio Peña pointed out that Waymo decided to proactively submit a software recall to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to specifically correct the deceleration and braking logic in such scenarios. "We will continue to analyze vehicle performance and make necessary fixes; this is part of our commitment to continuous improvement."
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This is not Waymo's first software recall this year; earlier, it had a similar issue due to its robotic taxis hitting obstacles such as fences or chains.Release updateLast year, there were incidents such as a vehicle crashing into a utility pole and two different robot taxis crashing into the same towed pickup truck. These incidents were subsequently resolved through software updates.
The recall documents regarding the school bus issue are expected to be formally submitted to federal regulators early next week.
