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US opens probe into 2,895 Waymo vehicles over school bus safety violations

Reuters
US opens probe into 2,895 Waymo vehicles over school bus safety violations

Nov 9 (Reuters) - The ‌U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Monday it ​had ‌opened a recall query into 2,895 ‌vehicles operated by Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo over continued traffic safety violations ‌involving the vehicles' behavior when encountering school buses.

NHTSA said it was reviewing whether a software update implemented by Waymo ⁠under a December 2025 recall adequately ‌addressed a defect ⁠that could cause Waymo vehicles to pass ​school buses displaying flashing red lights or extended stop arms after ​initially slowing or stopping.

The auto ​safety ‌regulator said most of the incidents occurred ​after November 2025, when Waymo ⁠said it had completed ‌the software remedy ​for all affected ​vehicles.

The recall query will assess the adequacy of the remedy and determine the causes of the post-remedy incidents, ‌NHTSA said.

Separately, NHTSA had opened a probe in January after one of ‌Waymo's ​self-driving vehicles struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California.

(Reporting by Anna Peverieri in Barcelona; Editing ‌by Jochelle Mendonca and Mrigank Dhaniwala)