NHTSA opens recall query into Waymo vehicles over school‑bus safety violations
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a recall query covering Waymo’s fleet after the self‑driving unit of Alphabet was accused of continued violations when passing stopped school buses. The probe focuses on 2,895 vehicles that received a software fix in November 2025, but most reported incidents occurred after the update. Waymo says it has not received any citations since March 2026 and will respond to the regulator’s query.
Why it matters
The regulator’s assessment could lead to further safety mandates or penalties, adding operational risk for Waymo and potentially affecting Alphabet’s (GOOGL) valuation. Investors should watch for any enforcement actions or required additional software changes that could increase costs.
Key facts
- 1NHTSA opened a recall query covering 2,895 Waymo vehicles equipped with the fifth‑generation automated driving system. investing.com
- 2Waymo filed Recall 25E084 on Dec. 10, 2025 to address a software issue that could cause vehicles to pass stopped school buses. qz.com
- 3The software update was applied to every affected vehicle on Nov. 17, 2025. qz.com
- 4Most reported incidents of vehicles passing stopped school buses occurred after the November 2025 update. investing.com
- 5Waymo says it has received no traffic citations related to school‑bus incidents since March 2026. qz.com
Open questions
- Material 2 states the investigation involves 3,000 vehicles, while Materials 1 and 3 specify 2,895 vehicles.
Summary written by AlphAI AI Desk from 3 of 3 sources. Not investment advice. Figures are as stated by the linked sources.