A Waymo car exits a charging lot on Jan. 15, 2026 in Austin, Texas.
Brandon Bell | Getty Photographs
Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis within the U.S. to repair software program points that would permit them to “drive onto a flooded roadway,” in line with a letter on the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration’s web site.
The voluntary recall is for Waymo automobiles that use the corporate’s fifth and sixth era automated driving methods (or ADS), the U.S. auto security regulator stated within the letter posted Tuesday.
Waymo autonomous automobiles in Austin, Texas have been lately seen on digital camera driving onto a flooded road and stalling, requiring different drivers to navigate round them. Related incidents have occurred in different places, the most recent safety-related points for the Alphabet-owned AV unit that is quickly bolstering its fleet of automobiles and getting into new U.S. markets.
Waymo has drawn criticism for its automobiles failing to yield to highschool buses in Austin, and for the efficiency of its automobiles throughout widespread energy outages in San Francisco in December, when robotaxis halted in visitors, inflicting gridlock.
The corporate stated 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 gives over half one million journeys each week in a number of the most difficult driving environments throughout the U.S., and security is our main precedence,” the corporate stated.
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 durations of intense rain.
The corporate at the moment operates a industrial 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 out there to pick riders.
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