Waymo recalls nearly 4,000 robotaxis following San Antonio flood incident
No injuries were reported as the unoccupied taxi was swept away; an over-the-air software update is being deployed to address the routing failure while interim operational constraints remain in place.
Waymo has voluntarily recalled approximately 3,791 robotaxis following an incident in San Antonio where a vehicle drove directly into a flooded road and was swept away. The autonomous vehicle operator filed the recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after determining that its algorithm failed to route around the hazard. Although the vehicle was swept away by the floodwaters, no injuries occurred because the taxi was unoccupied at the time.
This event marks the second flood-related incident to impact Waymo robotaxis in San Antonio within the past month. The company noted that while the vehicle should have navigated around the danger, the system did not respond as expected. This recurrence highlights the ongoing challenges self-driving vehicles face when encountering unique weather scenarios that differ from standard training data.
To mitigate further risk, Waymo has implemented interim constraints that limit access to areas prone to flash flooding while the software patch is finalised. The company has temporarily ceased operations in the city, though reports indicate that services are set to resume later this week. These restrictions remain in effect until the underlying issue is fully resolved through the deployment of an over-the-air fix.
Waymo is deploying an over-the-air software update to address the algorithmic failure without requiring physical service centre visits. This approach allows the fleet to be updated remotely, ensuring that the routing logic can correctly identify and avoid flooded streets in future operations. The company states that this update is designed to prevent similar incidents under comparable flood conditions.
This is not the first time the San Antonio-based company has issued a recall involving its autonomous fleet. Previously, Waymo vehicles were found to illegally pass stopped school buses, prompting a similar software correction. The recent flood incident reinforces the need for continuous algorithmic refinement to handle complex environmental variables.
Regulatory oversight remains a key focus as the NHTSA monitors the situation. The voluntary nature of the recall demonstrates the company's commitment to addressing safety concerns proactively. As the software update rolls out, the industry will be watching to see how effectively the new routing logic performs in real-world flood conditions.
