Waymo recalls 3,791 robotaxis for flooded‑road driving
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- Waymo recalled 3,791 robotaxis equipped with its fifth‑ and sixth‑generation autonomous‑driving software after a vehicle entered a flooded road segment.
- NHTSA documents report that an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi encountered an “untraversable” flooded section on a 40 mph road and continued at reduced speed despite detection.
- Waymo updated the recalled fleet with tighter weather‑related constraints and revised map data while developing a software remedy.
- Waymo’s sixth‑generation system, launched earlier this year for high‑volume production, is its first recall for that generation, whereas the older fifth‑generation system has already been recalled five times.
- Waymo’s current fleet runs on Jaguar I‑Pace vehicles using the fifth‑generation stack, and the new sixth‑generation platform is being deployed on the Zeekr RT minivan (rebranded Ojai) and the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
- Waymo is planning expansion into East‑Coast cities (Boston, New York City, Washington, DC) where adverse weather will test its updated autonomous‑driving capabilities.
Why it matters: The recall forces Waymo to tighten its software and mapping before expanding into flood‑prone East‑Coast markets, delaying its growth and giving rivals a competitive edge while underscoring the safety stakes for autonomous‑vehicle operators. Regulators may also scrutinize future deployments more closely, adding compliance costs.
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