Austin ISD says Waymo robotaxis are still passing school buses, despite a software recall

Austin ISD says Waymo’s self-driving cars continue to illegally pass stopped school buses, even after the company said it fixed the problem with a software update.

The district says four new citations have been issued since December, with the most recent incident happening Monday. Others were recorded on Dec. 11, 12, and 19. Video footage from school bus stop-arm cameras appears to show Waymo vehicles passing buses while stop arms were extended and lights were flashing  in some cases while children were nearby.

Last month, Austin ISD warned it could take legal action after multiple Waymo vehicles were caught violating Texas law, which requires all drivers to stop for school buses until they begin moving again. Waymo announced a software recall in early December, claiming the issue had been resolved, but the district says violations have continued.

In one Dec. 19 video, a Waymo vehicle slows but does not stop as an adult and child cross the street near a school bus, with other children waiting nearby. Other clips show Waymo vehicles passing stopped buses from adjacent lanes, while some Waymo cars are also seen stopping correctly  alongside human-driven vehicles that also appear to violate the law.

With the new citations, Austin ISD renewed its request for Waymo to pause operations during school pickup and drop-off hours, calling student safety a priority. The district is asking Waymo to stop operating from 5:20 to 9:30 a.m. and from 3 to 7 p.m. on school days, and says it is exploring all legal options.

So far this school year, AISD police have issued more than 7,000 school bus safety violations, including 24 involving Waymo vehicles. Most of the fines  totaling about $7,200 have been paid, according to the district.

The issue has also drawn national attention. Federal safety regulators recently launched a probe into Waymo’s behavior around school buses after similar incidents were reported elsewhere.

Waymo says it is working with Austin ISD to improve performance and claims its vehicles have fewer pedestrian-injury crashes than human drivers. The district, however, disputes Waymo’s claim that the two sides met recently, saying the last interaction occurred on Dec. 8 during a data-collection effort.

Despite the ongoing concerns, Waymo announced this week that it has expanded its driverless ride-hailing service in Austin and plans to launch in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio next year.