Waymo Is Facing A Major Recall Over A Dangerous Driving Glitch

THE BREAKDOWN

• Waymo recalls nearly 4,000 robotaxis for software issues.
• Vehicles may accidentally go onto closed highway construction zones.
• Waymo vehicles will avoid highways while a fix is found. 

Alphabet, parent company of Google, has recalled 3,871 units of its Waymo autonomous robotaxi in the United States because the vehicles can drive onto closed highway construction zones. The issue is software-related, prompting a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Waymo says a fix is currently under development, and the vehicles will be restricted from freeway driving during the interim. When a solution is found, the company will update the 5th Generation Automated Driving Systems (ADS) in the cars to detect when the vehicle is in and to avoid entering construction zones.

According to the NHTSA recall, at least 13 incidents have occurred involving a Waymo robotaxi driving onto a closed highway. Six took place in Phoenix, Arizona, and seven happened in San Francisco, California.

Waymo issued a similar recall in May after a software issue caused the autonomous vehicles to enter flooded roads in Texas, getting stuck in the process. The car entered a flooded roadway with a 40 mph speed limit at a reduced speed. No riders were harmed because the Waymo was unoccupied, but it pointed out a glaring issue with the cars in severe weather.

A Waymo Robotaxi

The company says the flooding in San Antonio has prompted an update to vehicle maps to increase weather-related constraints.

This is far from the biggest controversy involving a Waymo vehicle in 2026. In January, a Waymo taxi struck a child who ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV. The car immediately detected the child, slowing from 17 mph down to less than six mph before making contact, according to a statement from Waymo.

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The situation is currently under investigation, but Waymo says its vehicle made a "significant reduction in impact speed and severity" compared to an attentive human driver in the same situation.

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Motor1's Take: Whether or not the data shows that an AV is safer than the average human driver, there is a moral dilemma of who is to blame when the system is at fault for the loss of life. AVs are not treated as legal persons, so they can not be taken to court for criminal negligence if they, for example, decide to steer into danger to avoid hurting two other people instead of one occupant.

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