Waymo has recalled nearly 4,000 vehicles to address issues with flooded roads, following a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announcement on Tuesday.
Unresolved Flooding Challenges
The company has yet to completely resolve how its autonomous vehicles handle flooded conditions. NHTSA documents indicate that Waymo is still “developing the final remedy for this recall.”
The affected robotaxis, which use both the fifth- and sixth-generation autonomous systems, were reported to slow but not stop when encountering flooded roads, posing a potential hazard.
Details of the Recall
The recall affects 3,791 vehicles, offering insight into Waymo's operational fleet across a dozen U.S. cities. This is not the first recall Waymo has issued for its self-driving cars. In February 2024, the company recalled vehicles after two robotaxis in Phoenix crashed into the same towed vehicle.
Subsequent recalls addressed low-speed collisions with parking gates, telephone poles, and issues with illegal driving near school buses. The latest recall was prompted after Waymo robotaxis struggled with flooding in central Texas, including an incident where a robotaxi was swept away in San Antonio. As a result, Waymo has paused operations in the city.
Software Update and Mitigations
The initial fleet update includes restrictions for times and locations with an elevated risk of encountering high-speed flooded roadways, according to the NHTSA.
Waymo stated, “We have identified an area of improvement regarding untraversable flooded lanes specific to higher-speed roadways, and have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to this scenario.” The company is working on additional software safeguards and has introduced measures such as refining extreme weather operations during heavy rain and limiting access to areas prone to flash flooding.
The situation underscores the challenges faced by autonomous vehicle companies in adapting to complex and unpredictable environmental conditions.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/12/waymo-issues-recall-to-deal-with-a-flooding-problem/
