Why Waymo is having a hard time stopping for school buses

Meanwhile, here in CT ...

Vernon approves cameras for school buses
www.wfsb.com

... The Vernon Town Council Tuesday night unanimously passed an ordinance to add cameras to school buses as part of a stop-arm enforcement program.

The decision came after a public hearing at Town Hall, where speakers supported prioritizing student safety.

Town officials said drivers ignoring school bus stop signs has become a growing problem.

As a result, cameras will be installed on buses to capture drivers who fail to stop when buses have their flashing stop lights on. ...

And ...

Danbury officials say a 'jaw-dropping' 3,000 drivers cited for passing stopped school buses (November 2025)
www.newstimes.com

... More than 3,000 motorists passed stopped school buses in the first two months since Danbury unveiled new enforcement technology, according to city officials.

City school buses are equipped with cameras and artificial intelligence technology in an effort to deter drivers from illegally passing them while their stop arms are extended, and red lights are flashing. The program, in partnership with Virginia-based BusPatrol, began in late August.

"This is jaw dropping," said Mayor Roberto Alves about the latest numbers. "We knew this was an issue ... we had heard from bus drivers, we've heard from frustrated parents ... but we never would have thought it was this bad. We never thought we would average about 1,500 violations per month."

Danbury is one of several communities in Connecticut to use such technology. Bridgeport launched its bus camera program in 2024, and Shelton school buses are now equipped with the systems, with New Haven next to use similar technology. ...

@#3

More from that article ...

... An admission by a Waymo executive during a U.S. Senate hearing has drawn renewed scrutiny to how autonomous vehicles operate when technology alone is not enough.

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation convened a hearing on the safety and oversight of autonomous vehicles. Testimony included representatives from Tesla, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association and members of academia.

Also appearing was Dr. Mauricio Pea, chief safety officer at Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company.

During questioning, Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, asked what happens when a Waymo vehicle encounters a driving situation it cannot independently resolve.

"The Waymo phones a human friend for help," Markey explained, adding that the vehicle communicates with a "remote assistance operator."

Markey criticized the lack of public information about these workers, despite their role in vehicle safety.

Pea responded by clarifying the scope of the operators' involvement: "They provide guidance, they do not remotely drive the vehicles," Pea said.

"Waymo asks for guidance in certain situations and gets input, but Waymo is always in charge of the dynamic driving task," according to EVShift.

Pressed further on where those operators are located, Pea told lawmakers that some are based in the United States and others abroad, though he did not have an exact breakdown. After additional questioning, he confirmed that overseas operators are located in the Philippines....

Friggin' wow...

When a Waymo vehicle encounters a situation it may not understand (e.g., a school bus), it pings someone in the Philippines for advice?

Holy meadow muffins, Batman.

As was pointed out on a bit I heard on the radio about the dearth of speed cameras in Connecticut:
It's the only thing that reliably gets people to slow down.

I don't much care for the Orwellian nature of speed cameras, but they do work.

@#7 ... the dearth of speed cameras in Connecticut: ...

That's changing, for better or worse ....

As CT speed cameras bring in millions and more towns sign up, concerns linger (January 2026)
ctmirror.org

... Drivers who speed down Route 66 on the border of Middletown and Middlefield are getting hit with an automatic $50 fine. The second time they're caught in a month costs $75.

Middletown is one of the first municipalities in Connecticut to install speed cameras in town -- but it won't be the last.

After the Connecticut legislature passed a law in 2023 allowing municipalities to install red light and speed cameras and collect fines from drivers who break the law, cities and towns have been presenting extensive plans to the state Department of Transportation in bids to procure their own monitoring devices.

So far, 11 have had plans approved and three more are under consideration. ...