Waymo agrees to software recall to fix illegal school bus passing
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Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco. Photo by JASON HENRY/AFP via Getty Images
Waymo said late Friday it will issue a voluntary software recall in response to a federal safety probe of its self-driving cars for illegally passing school buses.
Why it matters: In announcing the recall, Waymo said it believes recent software fixes were sufficient to boost safety, and that it won't suspend service in school districts, as requested by authorities in Texas.
Catch up quick: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a preliminary investigation in October, after a Waymo robotaxi in Georgia didn't properly stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm deployed.
- Waymo said it identified a software issue that contributed to incidents in which its robotaxis may initially slow or stop for a school bus but then keep going.
- The company updated the software on Nov. 17, and said it believes the changes improved performance to a level better than human drivers in such scenarios.
Yes, but: The Austin Independent School District told NHTSA five more incidents occurred in November, after Waymo said it had made software updates to resolve the issue.
- It wants the company to halt operations around schools during pick-up and drop-off times until it can ensure the vehicles would not violate the law.
- NHTSA followed up by demanding more details about the company's response to the incidents by January 20.
What they're saying: "While we are incredibly proud of our strong safety record showing Waymo experiences 12 times fewer injury crashes involving pedestrians than human drivers, holding the highest safety standards means recognizing when our behavior should be better," Mauricio Peña, Waymo's chief safety officer, said in a statement late Friday.
- "As a result, we have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to appropriately slowing and stopping in these scenarios.
- "We will continue analyzing our vehicles' performance and making necessary fixes as part of our commitment to continuous improvement."
What to watch: Waymo said the recall will be posted on NHTSA's website early next week, but it's not clear whether that will be sufficient to close the investigation.
