Waymo, the autonomous vehicle division of Alphabet, has recently issued a recall for 1,200 of its robotaxis following a series of low-speed collisions with stationary barriers like gates and chains. These incidents, which occurred between December 2022 and April 2024, prompted an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Despite the collisions, no injuries were reported.
In response to the findings, Waymo rolled out a software update in November 2024, addressing the issue and deploying it across its fleet. By December 2024, the update had been fully implemented, significantly reducing the likelihood of similar occurrences in the future. Currently, Waymo operates around 1,500 robotaxis in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin.
This recall marks Waymo’s third software-related recall within a year. Previous incidents involved over 400 vehicles in February 2024, after collisions with a towed pickup truck, and another 670 vehicles in June 2024, when an unoccupied car crashed into a telephone pole. Despite these setbacks, Waymo continues to assert that its autonomous vehicles are safer than human drivers, with the company reporting an 81% reduction in injury-causing crashes compared to the average human driver, based on data from millions of miles driven in Phoenix and San Francisco.
The NHTSA’s investigation into Waymo’s autonomous driving system remains ongoing, as the agency continues to evaluate the safety and reliability of self-driving technology. As this technology evolves, Waymo and other autonomous vehicle companies will likely face heightened scrutiny, ensuring that safety remains a top priority in their ongoing development.
