Safety concerns around autonomous vehicles have intensified after Waymo announced the recall of nearly 3,800 robotaxis across the United States due to risks linked to flooded roads during extreme weather conditions.
The Alphabet-owned company said the recall followed an incident on April 20 in San Antonio, where a Waymo self-driving vehicle entered a flooded lane during severe weather. The company confirmed the vehicle was unoccupied at the time and no injuries were reported.
According to Waymo, the incident triggered an internal review of situations involving high-speed roads and impassable flooded areas.
“We are working to implement additional software safeguards and have put mitigations in place, including refining our extreme weather operations during periods of intense rain, limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur,” the company said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that Waymo has temporarily reduced its operating scope by increasing weather-related restrictions and updating navigation maps while it develops a permanent solution.
The recall comes as Waymo continues to face additional regulatory scrutiny in the US. The company is currently under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after one of its self-driving vehicles struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, in January. The child reportedly suffered minor injuries.
In a separate case, the National Transportation Safety Board said in March that it was investigating a January incident involving Waymo vehicles allegedly passing a stopped school bus with warning lights activated, which violated Texas state law.
The latest developments add to growing concerns around the safety and reliability of autonomous driving systems, especially during difficult weather and road conditions.
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