Waymo recalls 3,800 robotaxis

Waymo filed a voluntary safety recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on May 6 for 3,791 robotaxis after one of its vehicles entered floodwater on a 40-mph road in Texas. The recall covers the company’s fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving systems used in vehicles capable of driverless operation, according to Waymo’s Part 573 filing. NHTSA’s report said the software could allow a vehicle to slow but not stop when it detected a potentially untraversable flooded lane on higher-speed roads. Waymo said all affected vehicles had already received an interim software remedy on April 20. ### How did the floodwater incident happen? April 20 is the key date in Waymo’s filing. The company told NHTSA that an unoccupied autonomous vehicle encountered an “untraversable flooded section of a roadway” with a 40-mph speed limit and proceeded at reduced speed after detecting potentially untraversable floodwater. The safety risk, Waymo wrote, is that entering such a roadway can result in loss of vehicle control. (static.nhtsa.gov) The Register reported the incident was in San Antonio, Texas, and cited video shared with local broadcaster KSAT 12 showing a Waymo vehicle driving into floodwater and becoming stuck. The publication also reported that Waymo temporarily suspended service in San Antonio after the event. ### What exactly is being recalled? (static.nhtsa.gov) NHTSA’s recall report identified 3,791 potentially affected units and said the estimated percentage with the defect was 100%. The recalled equipment is the fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving system software used before operational changes made on April 20, 2026, according to the filing. Waymo’s report described the issue narrowly. (theregister.com) On higher-speed roadways, the filing said, the autonomous vehicle “may slow but not stop” in response to detecting a potentially untraversable flooded lane. The affected products differ from those not included in the recall because they are part of the software stack used in vehicles capable of driverless operation, the company said. (static.nhtsa.gov) ### What did Waymo do before filing the recall? April 20 was also the date of Waymo’s interim response. The company told NHTSA it implemented additional operational restrictions “at times and in locations where there is an elevated risk of encountering a flooded, higher-speed roadway” immediately after the event. Four days later, on April 24, Waymo’s Safety Board reviewed the issue and decided to conduct a recall. (static.nhtsa.gov) The Register reported that Waymo said it had increased weather-related constraints and updated vehicle maps as an interim remedy while it worked on a more permanent fix. In a statement quoted by the publication, Waymo said it was “working to implement additional software safeguards” and refining extreme-weather operations during periods of intense rain while limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur. (static.nhtsa.gov) ### How large is Waymo’s operating fleet right now? Waymo said on May 5, 2025, that it had more than 1,500 vehicles across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, and that it planned to build more than 2,000 additional autonomous Jaguar I-PACE vehicles through the following year. The company also said Waymo One was providing more than 250,000 paid trips each week across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin at that time. (theregister.com) Those figures help explain why a software issue can produce a fleet-wide recall. In this case, NHTSA’s filing shows the affected population was defined by the software version and driverless capability of vehicles owned by Waymo itself, rather than by a traditional dealer network or consumer-owned fleet. ### Where can the next step be tracked? NHTSA posted the case as recall number 26E026 in its public database, and the agency’s acknowledgment letter requires Waymo to submit recall-related notices and communications after they are sent. (waymo.com) Waymo’s filing says all affected vehicles have already received the interim remedy, while the company continues work on additional safeguards for flooded-road scenarios. (static.nhtsa.gov 1) (static.nhtsa.gov 2)