Waymo's Fix To End Robotaxis Blowing By School Buses Doesn't Work

Any decent human being would take extra care around children while behind the wheel of a 4,800-pound machine. However, driverless taxis weren't waiting around for any yellow bus running a drop-off route. Waymo issued a software recall last week because its vehicles were driving past stopped school buses despite initially stopping when buses were stopped with their lights flashing and stop arms extended. It turns out the fix didn't fix a thing. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall impacts 3,067 of Waymo's Jaguar I-Pace SUVs fitted with its fifth-generation Automated Driving System software. Regulators began investigating the issue in October. The driverless taxi service claims that all affected electric vehicles received a software update on November 5. However, the Austin Independent School District noted that a Waymo vehicle drove past a stopped school bus after the update went live. According to CBS News, it was the 20th incident in which a Waymo vehicle failed to wait for the bus. The fault isn't isolated to the Texas capital, as there have been six incidents reported by Atlanta's public school district.

Waymo is getting far more leeway than any private individual would ever receive. Austin ISD requested that the company's driverless taxis halt operations during school pickup and drop-off periods. Wayne Sneed, Austin ISD Police Chief, said to KEYE, "They did not agree with our risk assessment and respectfully declined to stop operating." A human being driving past a stopped school bus for a second time could have their license suspended for six months. Waymo has done it 20 times and could go for 21 on the promise that it will definitely fix the issue.

While Waymo's vehicles are statistically safer drivers than we humans, they aren't perfect. However, the errors aren't minor when they happen. One of the company's taxis drove through a felony stop in Los Angeles earlier this month. The electric SUV hung a left, right past a suspect surrendering himself as LAPD officers had their weapons drawn. It must have been a terrifying experience for anyone in the back seat. While Waymo's vehicle will rarely ever crash into another vehicle, there are far more dangers in the chaotic urban environments the service operates in.