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U.S. Safety Regulators Probe Waymo Robotaxis Over School Bus Incident

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U.S. auto safety regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car unit, after reports that one of its robotaxis failed to stop properly for a school bus in Georgia. The probe, launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), covers about 2,000 vehicles equipped with Waymo’s fifth-generation Automated Driving System.

The investigation follows a media report showing a Waymo vehicle maneuvering around a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended while children were disembarking — a clear violation of school bus safety protocols. NHTSA said the vehicle initially stopped before moving around the bus, suggesting a potential software or perception failure.

Regulators noted that given Waymo’s extensive operations — the company’s autonomous cars have logged over 100 million miles and currently drive 2 million miles per week — similar incidents could have occurred previously. The agency emphasized the need to evaluate how Waymo’s technology responds to critical real-world safety cues, particularly around children and pedestrians.

Waymo acknowledged the event, saying it has already implemented software improvements to enhance behavior around school buses and will issue further updates soon. “Driving safely around children has always been one of our highest priorities,” a company spokesperson said, explaining that the vehicle’s sensors may not have initially detected the flashing signals due to its angle of approach.

The company operates a fleet of over 1,500 driverless vehicles in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. The new probe comes months after NHTSA closed another 14-month investigation into Waymo’s earlier collisions with stationary objects, which led to two vehicle recalls.

Bolt CEO urges EU to prioritize self-driving tech to compete with U.S. and China

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Europe must invest far more aggressively in autonomous vehicle technology if it wants to remain competitive against the United States and China, according to Markus Villig, CEO of Estonian ride-hailing and food delivery company Bolt.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Villig said the European Union’s heavy focus on electric vehicles (EVs) risks sidelining what he called the “core technology of the next decade” — self-driving systems.

“There’s so much attention on EVs, but we’ve lost the plot on autonomous driving,” Villig said, warning that the technology gap between Europe and its global rivals is widening fast.

U.S. firms like Alphabet’s Waymo and Tesla, as well as Chinese players such as Baidu, WeRide, and Pony.ai, are leading the autonomous driving race. Waymo is preparing to launch autonomous ride-hailing services in London next year, highlighting Europe’s reliance on foreign technologies.

Villig said that the EU should treat autonomous mobility as a strategic technology, not just an industrial one, with implications for security and digital sovereignty. While the bloc is spending tens of billions of euros on EV subsidies and supply chains, he argued that comparable funding for self-driving development is virtually absent.

He proposed that the EU support domestic startups through subsidies and exclusive operating licences for robotaxis in certain cities, to help local firms gain scale before foreign competitors dominate the market.

Villig was scheduled to meet EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen later on Friday to discuss Europe’s role in the next generation of transport innovation.

Waymo to launch driverless ride-hailing service in London in 2026

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Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary, Waymo, announced plans to launch its fully driverless ride-hailing service in London next year, marking its first major expansion into Europe. The company, which has been gradually scaling operations in the United States, aims to bring its robotaxi technology to one of the world’s most densely regulated urban environments.

Waymo said it will partner with vehicle financing firm Moove to manage fleet operations, facilities, and charging infrastructure in London. The company is also working closely with local and national authorities to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals ahead of the launch. According to a spokesperson, vehicles are already en route to London, where they will initially be tested with safety drivers before transitioning to full autonomy in 2026.

In the U.S., Waymo currently provides over 250,000 paid trips weekly across cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Austin, with a fleet of roughly 1,500 vehicles. The company has also been expanding internationally, collecting data in Tokyo earlier this year in collaboration with Japanese partners Nihon Kotsu and Go.

The move comes amid intensifying competition in the autonomous transport sector, as Tesla prepares to debut its long-promised robotaxi service and Uber plans to trial fully driverless rides in the UK in partnership with AI startup Wayve. Despite regulatory challenges and technical setbacks in the U.S., Waymo’s London project signals renewed momentum for commercializing self-driving technology.