Waymo issues voluntary software recall for 3,791 robotaxis following flooded roadway incident
The recall, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, addresses a scenario where vehicles failed to stop completely on untraversable flooded lanes in central Texas.
Waymo has announced a voluntary software recall affecting approximately 3,791 robotaxis operating across the United States. The update targets safety concerns regarding the vehicles' behaviour when encountering flooded roadways, specifically on higher-speed roads where the autonomous systems were previously instructed to slow down rather than come to a complete stop.
The decision to file the recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration follows an incident in central Texas, where an unoccupied robotaxi was swept away in San Antonio after struggling to navigate floodwaters on a 40 mph roadway. While no injuries were reported in the event, the situation highlighted a critical gap in the software's ability to handle untraversable flooded lanes under extreme weather conditions.
According to documents released by the regulator, the affected fleet includes vehicles running on both fifth- and sixth-generation autonomous driving systems. The immediate software update directs these units to avoid flooded lanes entirely on high-speed roads, implementing restrictions in times and locations where the risk of flash flooding is elevated. This measure aims to prevent vehicles from attempting to cross water they cannot safely traverse.
Waymo confirmed in a statement that it has identified an area of improvement regarding these specific scenarios and has made the decision to file the voluntary recall. The company noted that it has put several mitigations in place, including refining extreme weather operations during periods of intense rain and limiting access to areas prone to flooding.
Despite the immediate restrictions, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has noted that Waymo is still developing a final remedy for the issue. The regulator's documentation indicates that the company has not yet fully resolved the underlying problem of vehicle behaviour in flooded conditions, leaving a gap between the current mitigation and a permanent solution.
This recall marks the latest in a series of safety actions taken by the Alphabet-owned company. Previous recalls have addressed low-speed crashes with parking gates and telephone poles, as well as illegal driving near school buses, underscoring the ongoing challenges autonomous driving firms face when encountering altered road conditions.
