Waymo recalls robotaxis after driving through floodwaters
▼ Summary
– Waymo is recalling its autonomous driving software after a robotaxi drove on a flooded road.
– The recall affects 3,791 vehicles using Waymo’s fifth and sixth generation systems.
– An unoccupied Waymo robotaxi encountered a flooded road with a 40 mph speed limit and proceeded at reduced speed despite detecting the hazard.
– The company is working on a remedy for the software issue.
– In the interim, Waymo has updated its vehicles to increase weather-related constraints.
Waymo has issued a recall for its autonomous driving software after one of its robotaxis drove through floodwaters it should have avoided. The recall, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), impacts 3,791 vehicles equipped with the company’s fifth and sixth generation systems.
According to documents submitted to regulators, an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi “encountered an untraversable flooded section of a roadway that has a 40 mph speed limit.” Although the vehicle detected the standing water, it “proceeded at reduced speed” rather than stopping or rerouting. The Alphabet-owned company acknowledged the flaw and said it is actively developing a software remedy. In the meantime, Waymo has updated its fleet to “increase weather-related conservatism,” aiming to prevent similar incidents.
This recall underscores the challenges of autonomous vehicle navigation in extreme or unpredictable conditions. While Waymo’s technology generally handles complex driving scenarios well, water on the road presents a unique hazard that can confuse even advanced sensors. The company’s swift response, including an interim software patch, reflects the high safety standards expected in the industry.
(Source: The Verge)
