Waymo Recalls Nearly 4,000 Robotaxis After Construction Zone Incidents
The recall, the sixth for Waymo's robotaxis, highlights persistent challenges with autonomous vehicle behavior in unpredictable highway construction environments.
Reporting from 1 sources: GIGAZINE.
Waymo recalled approximately 4,000 robotaxis after at least 13 incidents where vehicles entered highway construction zones. Six incidents occurred in Phoenix in April 2026 and seven in San Francisco in May 2026. The company had already withdrawn robotaxis from all highways on May 19. A software fix is under development.
Waymo filed a voluntary recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covering roughly 4,000 robotaxis after discovering at least 13 incidents where the vehicles entered highway construction zones. Six of the incidents happened in Phoenix in April 2026, when robotaxis failed to recognize ramp closure signs and entered pre-planned construction areas. Seven occurred in San Francisco in May 2026, where the vehicles either prioritized avoiding other hazards or failed to detect construction zones entirely.
Waymo had already pulled its robotaxis from all highways on May 19, 2026, before the recall was announced. The company told TechCrunch that it found areas for improvement in performance around highway construction zones and notified state and federal regulators in advance of the recall. A software solution is currently under development, and operations on local streets continue.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.