Amy Witherite, traffic safety expert and founder of the Witherite Law Group, said today that the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) decision to open an investigation into incidents involving Waymo autonomous vehicles and school buses represents a significant escalation in federal oversight and raises troubling questions about the accuracy of Waymo’s assurances that earlier safety problems had been resolved.

Witherite noted that the launch of a second federal investigation undermines Waymo’s public claims that it had already identified and corrected the issues that led to interactions with school buses. “If those fixes were effective and dependable, we would not be seeing another federal agency step in,” she said. “The fact that the NTSB is now involved suggests unresolved safety concerns.”

“The NTSB does not open investigations lightly,” Witherite said. “When it steps in, it usually means there are broader safety implications that go beyond technical compliance and require a deeper, independent examination of risk.”

The NTSB investigation follows a separate inquiry by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While NHTSA primarily functions as a regulatory and enforcement agency with authority over recalls, defect investigations, and compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards, the NTSB operates independently and focuses on determining the probable cause and making safety recommendations aimed at preventing future incidents.

“The difference matters,” Witherite said. “NHTSA asks whether a company followed the rules. The NTSB asks whether the system itself is fundamentally safe and whether the rules are even adequate.”

According to Witherite, the NTSB’s reputation for independence and technical rigor gives its findings exceptional credibility with policymakers, first responders, and the public. “When the NTSB speaks, industry and regulators listen, often for years,” she said.

The investigation also highlights a growing gap between the rapid, aggressive rollout of autonomous vehicles and the regulatory framework governing them. “We are effectively allowing experimental technology to operate in complex, real-world environments – including around school buses and children before the safety rules have caught up,” Witherite said.

“Autonomous vehicle developers may be moving fast,” she added, “but public safety cannot be treated as a beta test.”

About Amy Witherite

Amy Witherite is a nationally recognized attorney, transportation-safety advocate, and founder of Witherite Law Group. She has spent more than two decades representing victims of commercial and roadway negligence and is a leading voice in highlighting the safety, regulatory, and civil-rights implications of autonomous-vehicle deployment.

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