The incidents occurred throughout April and May, with six robotaxis entering restricted zones in Phoenix and seven in the San Francisco Bay Area. In one notable encounter, a witness reported a vehicle accelerating through traffic cones despite visible warning lights and nearby police presence. Waymo confirmed that its software struggled to process construction signage, often prioritizing other freeway hazards over the clear warnings of active work zones.
In section Startups & Technology
Waymo Recalls 4,000 Robotaxis Over Highway Construction Hazards
Thirteen instances of autonomous vehicles driving into closed highway construction zones have prompted Waymo to issue a voluntary recall for nearly 4,000 robotaxis. The Alphabet-owned company pulled its fleet from all high-speed routes in May while engineers scramble to patch software that failed to recognize lane closures in Arizona and California.
While the company continues to operate on surface streets, the restriction marks a significant setback for a firm currently aggressively expanding into new markets like London and Tokyo. This is the sixth recall issued for Waymo’s fleet, following previous interventions for issues with school buses, flooded roads, and collisions with stationary objects. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating the software's broader safety performance, even as Waymo maintains that its autonomous systems offer a lower risk of serious injury compared to human drivers.
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