In a recent development that has sparked safety concerns, a Waymo robotaxi was observed maneuvering around a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing, prompting federal regulators to launch an investigation into the incident.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) disclosed that its Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has initiated a probe following footage from early October showing the autonomous vehicle bypassing the school bus while unloading children in Atlanta, Georgia.
ODI’s investigation will focus on evaluating Waymo’s self-driving software’s behavior around stopped school buses and its compliance with relevant regulations. NHTSA expressed concerns about the potential occurrence of similar incidents in the past based on their discussions with Waymo.
Waymo explained that the robotaxi encountered the school bus while leaving a driveway, with the bus partially obstructing its path. The company stated that the robotaxi’s visibility of the flashing lights and stop sign was compromised. However, it did not address whether the vehicle could detect the disembarking students or the bus’s control arm.
Emphasizing safety as a top priority, Waymo highlighted its track record of providing hundreds of thousands of fully autonomous trips weekly with lower crash rates compared to human-driven vehicles. The company revealed that it has already implemented software updates across its fleet to enhance operational performance.
This incident comes amidst Waymo’s expansion efforts, including its recent launch in Atlanta and advancements in autonomous driving technology.
Source: TechCrunch
Leave a Reply