Waymo vehicle drives wrong way in Alamo Heights school zone

Parents raise safety concerns after autonomous car evades police officer and nearly hits pedestrians

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A highly detailed, 3D rendered illustration of a glowing, neon-lit Waymo autonomous vehicle driving the wrong way down a one-way street, surrounded by pedestrians, traffic signals, and other vehicles. The vehicle's sensors and lights are illuminated, creating a sense of digital infrastructure and cybernetic technology.Autonomous vehicle technology faces challenges navigating complex urban environments, as evidenced by recent wrong-way incidents involving Waymo cars in a busy school zone.Alamo Heights Today

A Waymo autonomous vehicle was caught on video driving the wrong way on a one-way street in the school zone of Cambridge Elementary in Alamo Heights, Texas, narrowly avoiding pedestrians and a police officer. This was the second such incident reported by the Alamo Heights Police Department this week involving Waymo vehicles.

Why it matters

The incidents raise concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicles operating in complex urban environments, especially near schools where pedestrian traffic is high. Parents worry about the lack of human intervention to prevent dangerous situations, while the city questions whether infrastructure changes are needed to better accommodate self-driving cars.

The details

On Wednesday morning, a Waymo autonomous vehicle was recorded driving the wrong way on a one-way street in the school zone, evading a police officer and nearly hitting pedestrians in a crosswalk. This followed a similar incident on Monday involving another Waymo car. The Alamo Heights Independent School District was notified, and the police department contacted Waymo to share information about the daily changes to traffic patterns in the area. A Waymo spokesperson said the company has "already made adjustments to our operations accordingly" to address the issues.

  • On Wednesday morning, the Waymo vehicle was spotted driving the wrong way in the school zone.
  • On Monday, there was another incident involving a Waymo vehicle driving the wrong way in the same area.

The players

Waymo

An autonomous driving company and subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

Alamo Heights Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that responded to the incidents and contacted Waymo about the traffic patterns in the school zone.

Alamo Heights Independent School District

The school district that was notified about the Waymo incidents occurring near one of its elementary schools.

Leigh Henderson

A parent who blamed the city's infrastructure rather than the autonomous vehicle for the problem, arguing that human drivers also make mistakes in the area.

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What they’re saying

“It was very concerning, very scary.”

— Anonymous parent

“The Waymo car actually evaded and went around the cop, and we had to back out of the walkway. I mean, this is a busy time. There were kids, parents everywhere. Cars. It's rush hour.”

— Anonymous parent

“This is a very unique intersection, so it doesn't surprise me that it was going the wrong way. We need paint. We need lines. We need signs. We got streets all around here without stop signs.”

— Leigh Henderson, Parent

What’s next

The Alamo Heights Police Department said it will continue to monitor the situation and work with Waymo to address the safety concerns in the school zone.

The takeaway

The incidents highlight the challenges autonomous vehicles face in navigating complex urban environments, especially near schools where pedestrian safety is paramount. While Waymo claims to have made adjustments, the community is calling for infrastructure changes and better coordination between self-driving companies and local authorities to prevent future wrong-way incidents and protect vulnerable road users.