Waymo investigated after hitting pedestrian, passing school bus
Waymo and its autonomous vehicles remain under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board for separate incidents in two states.
NTSB recently released preliminary findings of both investigations.
According to an investigation in Texas, a Waymo vehicle illegally passed a school bus stopped to load or unload passengers on Jan. 12.
The preliminary investigation said the school bus, operated by the Austin Independent School District, displayed strobing red lights and extended its two stop arms on the driver’s side.
Video evidence showed the Waymo vehicle was the first to stop for the school bus. Once stopped, the autonomous vehicle contacted remote assistance and asked, “Is this a school bus with active signals?”
A remote assistance agent in Novi, Mich. replied, “No.”
The Waymo vehicle resumed travel and passed the school bus while its arms were still extended.
During this incident, NTSB found a total of six vehicles, including the Waymo, passed the bus while it was stopped.
No crash occurred.
At the time of the incident, 7:55 a.m., the weather was clear, and the road was dry, NTSB said.
Since the start of the 2025-26 school year, Austin ISD has reported multiple incidents of Waymo vehicles illegally passing school buses.
An NTSB investigation into a Waymo crash in California is also ongoing.
NTSB issues its preliminary reports for the ongoing safety investigations involving Waymo vehicles in Austin, Texas and Santa Monica, California:
Austin, Texas: https://t.co/YQg0OnCnIK
Santa Monica, California: https://t.co/0ETHB2pvl8
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) March 3, 2026
In its preliminary findings, NTSB said video evidence from a school surveillance camera and Waymo vehicle cameras showed a queue of five vehicles formed at a stop-controlled intersection in Santa Monica, Calif.
The student pedestrian exited the right-rear door of the fifth vehicle in the queue and entered the roadway, crossing at a rapid pace between her vehicle and the vehicle ahead of her, NTSB said.
Traveling north at 17 mph, the Waymo vehicle braked and collided with the student pedestrian near its front-right headlight assembly, according to video evidence obtained by NTSB.
Post-impact, the pedestrian fell, then walked to the east curb of 24th Street. The vehicle continued braking and came to rest within the northbound travel lane almost immediately.
A Waymo remote assistance in Novi, Mich., contacted 911 and later directed the autonomous vehicle to move to the curb, where it remained until the Santa Monica Police Department arrived.
The student pedestrian reported minor injuries and did not require medical transport, NTSB said.
Both NTSB investigations are ongoing. LL