Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are becoming more visible across the country, and with their expansion comes complicated questions about safety, regulation, and liability. Although North Carolina does not yet have the widespread driverless taxi operations seen in states like Arizona, California, or Texas, national incidents, especially recent reports involving Waymo vehicles passing stopped school buses, are already shaping the conversation here at home. As lawmakers and everyday drivers navigate what this technology means, understanding North Carolina’s AV laws is essential.
Why Waymo’s School Bus Incidents Are a National Concern
In December 2025, Waymo announced a voluntary software recall after reports emerged that its robotaxis illegally passed stopped school buses in Georgia and Texas. In one Texas school district, as many as 19 violations were documented since the start of the school year. The issues triggered a formal safety inquiry by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which demanded detailed information about how Waymo’s automated driving system handles school bus stop-arm and red-light signals. According to Waymo, the problems stemmed from a software flaw that caused some vehicles to slow or initially stop but then proceed past stationary buses despite extended stop arms and flashing lights.
North Carolina is already familiar with the dangers of school bus violations. Earlier this year, we addressed rising concerns about unsafe driving near school buses in "The Return to School Can Lead to Dangerous Driving Situations" article. The Waymo investigation highlights how the same risks could be magnified if an automated system misinterprets a bus’s warning lights or stop arm. Even before AV fleets arrive in North Carolina, these incidents raise pressing questions about how prepared our laws are to handle emerging safety hazards.
How North Carolina Regulates Autonomous Vehicles
North Carolina has its own set of laws outlining how fully self-driving cars may operate on public roads. These rules, found in Article 18 of Chapter 20 of the North Carolina General Statutes, establish both the safety standards autonomous vehicles must meet and the legal responsibilities of the companies that deploy them.
Under this framework, fully autonomous vehicles are permitted on North Carolina roads as long as they comply with federal safety requirements, can bring themselves to a safe stop if the system fails, and carry the required insurance. When the automated driving system is engaged, the technology, not any human occupant, is treated as the legal “driver,” and the vehicle’s registered owner is responsible for traffic violations. Driverless vehicles must also follow the state’s crash-reporting rules, which require contacting law enforcement, exchanging insurance information, and remaining at the scene when appropriate. Local North Carolina governments are not allowed to create their own AV regulations, ensuring that the state maintains uniform control over how these vehicles operate.
The law also makes clear that autonomous vehicles can be used for commercial purposes, such as delivery services or rideshare fleets. This means that companies like Waymo, or any other AV operator, could legally enter the North Carolina market once they meet all statutory requirements.
What Liability Looks Like If an Autonomous Vehicle Causes a Crash in North Carolina
Even though a computer operates an autonomous vehicle, North Carolina’s longstanding principles of negligence still apply when someone is injured. Crashes involving AVs can be complex because fault may stem from a software error, a sensor malfunction, a design flaw, or the way a company deploys the technology. In traditional North Carolina car accident cases, liability usually focuses on the actions of a human driver. In AV-related crashes, responsibility may shift toward the manufacturer, the technology developer, or the entity that oversees the fleet.
This can become even more complicated when rideshare services are involved. As companies such as Uber and Lyft explore automated fleets, collisions may occur in situations where there is no human driver inside the vehicle at all. The steps you would take after a traditional car accident, such as seeking medical attention, gathering evidence, and identifying the company operating the vehicle, remain largely the same as they would after experiencing an injury in a rideshare accident. The same guidance should apply when the rideshare happens to be autonomous.
Regardless of who or what caused a crash involving an autonomous vehicle, injured car accident victims, pedestrians, and cyclists still have rights. Companies that put AVs into service must follow state law, ensure their systems are safe, and carry proper insurance. When they fail in those obligations, they may be held accountable for injuries.
Protecting Your Legal Rights in the Age of Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous vehicles could lead to reductions in traffic accidents and severe injuries, but early real-world testing has shown that the transition will not be risk-free. Understanding how North Carolina regulates this technology helps drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists prepare for the inevitable moment when AVs begin operating in greater numbers across the state.
Today’s questions about liability, crash reporting, or software errors will soon become everyday legal challenges. Courts are only beginning to confront the issue of whether a machine, not a person, can be negligent. Policymakers will continue to debate how to balance innovation with public safety. And consumers must stay informed as automated systems take on responsibilities traditionally held by drivers.
For anyone injured in a North Carolina car accident involving an autonomous or other type of vehicle, legal support is available. Contact the Whitley Law Firm online or call 919-785-5000 for more information or a free case review.
