WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Waymo is pulling back around 3,800 of its robotaxis in the U.S. to update software that might let the cars drive onto flooded roads, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This recall specifically impacts vehicles with Waymo's fifth and sixth-generation automated driving systems. The decision comes after a few incidents in Austin and San Antonio, in which some of these autonomous vehicles ended up in floodwaters and became stuck. In one situation, a vacant robotaxi got washed into a creek, leading to a federal probe.
Waymo has recognized that it needs to enhance how its software deals with flooded lanes, especially on faster roads. They've already rolled out some temporary measures to limit service in spots prone to flash flooding during heavy rainfall.
As a part of Alphabet, Waymo offers over 500,000 paid rides every week and runs commercial robotaxi services in 11 U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Miami.
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