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Waymo has recalled roughly 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S. to fix software flaws that can cause vehicles to drive into or stall in flooded roadways, following multiple incidents captured on camera and at least one vehicle swept into a creek. The recall, prompted by NHTSA scrutiny, affects fifth- and sixth-generation automated systems and has led Waymo to limit operations in some areas, deploy interim mitigations, and push software updates. The episode highlights persistent safety, regulatory, and public-trust challenges for autonomous vehicle deployment and underscores the need for robust weather-handling and oversight of AV software.
Waymo pauses Atlanta service as its robotaxis keep driving into floods
Waymo has issued a voluntary recall of about 3,800 robotaxis to fix software flaws that can allow vehicles to drive into flooded roadways, after multiple incidents — including cameras capturing cars entering flooded streets and one vehicle swept into a creek in San Antonio. The recall covers cars using Waymo’s fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving systems and follows earlier safety criticisms (e.g., failing to yield to school buses and stalling during outages). Waymo says it has implemented mitigations, limited operations in extreme weather, and is deploying additional software safeguards while coordinating with NHTSA; some services (San Antonio) remain temporarily suspended. The action matters for AV safety, regulatory scrutiny, and deployment pace.
Lora Kolodny / CNBC : Waymo recalls ~3,800 robotaxis in the US to fix software issues that may cause them to drive onto flooded roads, after some were seen stalled on flooded streets — Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S. to fix software issues that could allow them to “drive onto a flooded roadway …
Waymo is recalling 3,791 vehicles in the U.S. after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) flagged a software defect that could increase the risk of collisions or injuries. The recall, announced May 12, involves Alphabet-owned Waymo and centers on autonomous driving software behavior that may compromise safety. NHTSA’s involvement signals regulatory scrutiny of self-driving systems and underscores ongoing safety and compliance challenges for AV developers. The recall could affect fleet operations, liability exposure, and public trust in autonomous vehicles, while prompting software fixes, updates, or further investigations to ensure safe deployment.