Waymo recalls 3,800 robotaxis

Waymo said on May 12 it was recalling 3,791 robotaxis in the United States after identifying a software risk that could allow vehicles to enter flooded roads on higher-speed streets. The Alphabet-owned company said the action followed an April 20 incident in San Antonio, where an unoccupied vehicle encountered floodwater during extreme weather. No injuries were reported, according to Waymo and a safety recall filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall applies to Waymo’s fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving systems used in its commercial robotaxi operations. ### What exactly triggered the recall? An April 20 incident in San Antonio set off the review. Waymo told NHTSA that one of its unoccupied autonomous vehicles encountered what the company described as an “untraversable flooded section” of a roadway with a 40 mph speed limit and proceeded at a reduced speed after detecting potentially impassable water. The NHTSA filing said the issue is specific to higher-speed roads, where the vehicle “may slow but not stop” in response to a potentially flooded lane. (autos.yahoo.com) The agency said entering an untraversable flooded roadway can result in loss of vehicle control. ### What vehicles and software are covered? The recall covers 3,791 Waymo vehicles equipped with the company’s fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving system software before operational changes made on April 20, the NHTSA report said. (static.nhtsa.gov) Waymo said it owns all potentially affected vehicles, which means the recall is being handled across its own fleet rather than through retail owners. Reuters reported the recall affects about 3,800 robotaxis operating in the United States. Waymo said the vehicles are part of its driverless ride-hailing service. ### What has Waymo done since the Texas incident? Waymo said it imposed additional operating restrictions on April 20 in times and places where there is a higher risk of flooded, higher-speed roads. (static.nhtsa.gov) On April 24, Waymo’s Safety Board reviewed the issue and decided to conduct a recall, according to the NHTSA chronology. The company told Reuters it had already put mitigations in place, including refining its extreme-weather operations during periods of intense rain and limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur. (autos.yahoo.com) Reuters also reported that NHTSA said Waymo had temporarily narrowed its operating scope and updated maps while it works on a permanent remedy. (static.nhtsa.gov) ### Where is Waymo operating while the recall moves ahead? Waymo said this week it is expanding service in Miami, Austin, Atlanta, Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area, and said it expects to cover more than 1,400 square miles across 11 cities over the coming weeks. In that May 13 update, the company said it would be available in six U.S. host cities tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (autos.yahoo.com) Waymo’s public ride-hailing service is already operating in multiple U.S. markets, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta and Miami, according to company pages and posts. ### Is Waymo facing other U.S. safety scrutiny? NHTSA is separately investigating Waymo after one of its self-driving vehicles struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, in January, Reuters reported. (waymo.com) Reuters also said the National Transportation Safety Board in March was investigating a January incident in which Waymo vehicles passed a stopped school bus with its lights activated in Texas. (waymo.com) Those matters are separate from the floodwater recall. The current recall record identifies the defect as software behavior involving flooded lanes on higher-speed roads and lists the remedy type as “Do Not Drive” while the company continues its corrective steps. ### What happens next? May 11 is the date on NHTSA’s acknowledgment letter for recall 26E026, confirming the federal agency received Waymo’s notification. (autos.yahoo.com) The Part 573 recall report says all affected vehicles have already received the interim remedy, while Waymo works on a permanent software fix. (static.nhtsa.gov 1) (static.nhtsa.gov 2)