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Autonomous Vehicles · Recall · Robotaxis · Waymo
Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving unit, recalled over 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S. after a software glitch caused more than a dozen vehicles to enter freeway construction zones, prompting a voluntary restriction on freeway operations and a NHTSA filing.
The incidents, starting in early April in California and Arizona, involved autonomous vehicles failing to recognize ramp closure signs and driving into active construction areas. Waymo restricted freeway driving and revamped its technology for better situational awareness to avoid such zones.
This marks Waymo's second recall in just over a month; the previous recall in May involved nearly 4,000 robotaxis due to a risk of entering flooded roads. Additionally, Waymo faces a separate NHTSA investigation after one of its self-driving vehicles struck a child in January and another probe for allegedly driving past a stopped school bus, which led to a December recall.
These repeated software and operational challenges highlight ongoing hurdles in autonomous vehicle deployment and increase regulatory scrutiny on the entire sector.
