Waymo recalls 4,000 Robotaxis following highway construction Zone incidents

Waymo has recalled a fleet of nearly 4,000 robotaxis after identifying a software issue that allowed them to drive into highway construction zones. The recall follows at least 13 incidents in which Waymo vehicles entered sections of highways that had been closed for construction. Six of these incidents occurred in Phoenix, Arizona, in April, while seven took place in San Francisco, California, in May.

Waymo pulled its robotaxis from all highway operations on May 19, and a fix for the problem is "currently under development," according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The company is not removing vehicles from the road entirely and continues to operate on surface streets.

This marks the sixth recall issued by Waymo for its robotaxi fleet in recent years. In May, the company initiated a recall after some vehicles drove into flooded areas, while in December it issued another recall to address instances of illegal behaviour around school buses. Previous recalls have also sought to fix low-speed collisions involving chains, gates, telephone poles, and issues related to tow trucks.

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The company is currently under investigation by the NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) over its behaviour around school buses following an incident in which one of its robotaxis struck a child near a school.

Waymo is in the midst of a major expansion, with plans to launch services in more than 20 cities this year and eventually operate in London and Tokyo. The expansion has helped highlight a number of edge cases that the company's robotaxi software has struggled with, including highway construction zones.

Waymo has recalled its robotaxi software after multiple vehicles entered active freeway construction zones in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area. According to NHTSA filings, the vehicles either failed to recognize construction-related road closures or prioritized avoiding other hazards, causing them to enter restricted areas. Following the incidents, Waymo temporarily suspended freeway operations and later issued a software recall to address the issue.