Waymo suspends robotaxi operations in Atlanta and San Antonio after vehicles enter floodwaters
An unoccupied vehicle became stuck in Atlanta for an hour, compounding existing regulatory scrutiny from the NHTSA and NTSB into the company’s driving behaviour.
Waymo has suspended its robotaxi services in Atlanta, Georgia, and San Antonio, Texas, following repeated incidents where its autonomous vehicles drove into flooded roads. The suspension comes after an unoccupied vehicle in Atlanta became trapped in floodwaters for approximately one hour, prompting the company to halt operations in both cities while it addresses the technical limitations.
The Atlanta incident occurred during a storm that produced significant rainfall before the National Weather Service issued any flash flood warnings, watches, or advisories. Waymo stated that its fleet relies on these official alerts as part of a broader set of signals to prepare for adverse weather conditions. However, the rapid onset of flooding complicated the vehicles' ability to react, as the water levels rose before the system received the necessary external cues to avoid the affected areas.
This event follows a software recall issued by Waymo last week, during which the company acknowledged it had not yet developed a final remedy for avoiding flooded areas. Instead, an initial update placed restrictions on vehicles in locations with an elevated risk of encountering flooded, higher-speed roadways. Waymo confirmed that these precautions were insufficient to prevent the Atlanta vehicle from entering the flooded intersection, leading to the current service pause.
The flooding issues add to a growing list of operational challenges for the autonomous vehicle operator. Waymo is currently subject to active investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding two separate incidents. One investigation concerns the company’s robotaxis illegally passing stopped school buses, a behaviour that persisted despite a previous software fix.
The second regulatory inquiry involves a January 23 incident in Santa Monica, California, where a Waymo robotaxi struck a child, resulting in minor injuries. Waymo has stated that the vehicle braked to approximately six miles per hour before impact. The NHTSA has already received a batch of redacted documents from Waymo regarding the school bus issue, with a second document request sent on May 15 due to insufficient initial data.
