A Waymo car exits a charging lot on Jan. 15, 2026 in Austin, Texas.
Brandon Bell | Getty Photos
Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis within the U.S. to repair software program points that might permit them to “drive onto a flooded roadway,” in keeping with a letter on the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration’s web site.
The voluntary recall is for Waymo autos that use the corporate’s fifth and sixth era automated driving programs (or ADS), the U.S. auto security regulator mentioned within the letter posted Tuesday.
Waymo autonomous autos in Austin, Texas had been just lately seen on digicam driving onto a flooded road and stalling, requiring different drivers to navigate round them. Related incidents have occurred in different places, the newest safety-related points for the Alphabet-owned AV unit that is quickly bolstering its fleet of autos and coming into new U.S. markets.
Waymo has drawn criticism for its autos failing to yield to highschool buses in Austin, and for the efficiency of its autos throughout widespread energy outages in San Francisco in December, when robotaxis halted in visitors, inflicting gridlock.
The corporate mentioned in a press release on Tuesday that it is “recognized an space of enchancment relating to untraversable flooded lanes particular to higher-speed roadways,” and opted to file a “voluntary software program recall” with the NHTSA.
“Waymo supplies over half 1,000,000 journeys each week in a number of the most difficult driving environments throughout the U.S., and security is our main precedence,” the corporate mentioned.
Waymo added that it is engaged on “extra software program safeguards” and has put “mitigations” in place, limiting the place its robotaxis function throughout excessive climate, in order that they keep away from “areas the place flash flooding may happen” in intervals of intense rain.
The corporate at the moment operates a business robotaxi service in 11 U.S. markets, with broad public entry in cities together with San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Miami. In a couple of markets, the service is offered to pick out riders.
Waymo additionally advised CNBC on Tuesday that its robotaxi service in San Antonio, Texas, stays briefly suspended.
On April 20, a Waymo AV in San Antonio entered a flooded street and was swept away right into a creek with no passengers on board, kicking off a NHTSA probe and resulting in the newest voluntary recall.
The corporate mentioned it’s “readying operations to renew public rides” in San Antonio.
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