Waymo, the self-driving vehicle subsidiary of Google, is recalling 1,212 autonomous vehicles due to a software flaw that left them vulnerable to collisions with chains, gates, and other barriers. The decision follows a federal investigation into multiple incidents involving Waymo’s fleet across major U.S. cities.
What Prompted the Recall?
The recall targets vehicles running the company’s older fifth-generation automated driving system (ADS) software. Between 2022 and late 2024, Waymo recorded 16 collisions involving physical barriers—none resulting in injuries. Still, these incidents caught the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which opened an ongoing probe in May 2024 into reports of risky and traffic-law-violating behavior by Waymo’s autonomous taxis.
The NHTSA noted that some Waymo vehicles collided with objects “a competent driver would be expected to avoid,” raising questions about the system’s reliability in complex urban environments.
How Is Waymo Fixing the Problem?
Waymo states that the issue has already been resolved in its latest, sixth-generation self-driving software. According to the company, the fix has been rolled out to the entire active fleet of more than 1,500 vehicles operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. The recall formally covers cars using the previous generation of software, ensuring every vehicle receives the update.
“Waymo provides more than 250,000 paid trips every week in some of the most challenging driving environments in the U.S. Our record of reducing injuries over tens of millions of fully autonomous miles driven shows our technology is making roads safer,” the company said.
Regulatory Pressure Intensifies
This is not the first recall for Waymo in 2024. In February, the company recalled 444 vehicles after two minor incidents in Arizona exposed a separate issue with predicting the movements of towed vehicles. Another recall in June affected over 670 vehicles after a Waymo struck a wooden utility pole in Phoenix.
Waymo is not alone in facing regulatory scrutiny. Competitors such as General Motors’ Cruise and Amazon’s Zoox have issued their own recalls following high-profile crashes or risky behavior by their autonomous vehicles. A 2023 incident in which a Cruise robotaxi severely injured a pedestrian in San Francisco triggered a wave of caution and cost-cutting across the industry.
What’s Next for Self-Driving Cars?
Federal authorities are keeping a close eye on self-driving vehicle safety, especially as these fleets expand in major U.S. cities. While software updates can quickly address many issues, each new incident adds pressure for stricter oversight and transparency from companies operating driverless vehicles.
For Waymo, the latest recall marks another test in the race to build public trust around autonomous transportation—demonstrating both the promise and the persistent technical challenges of a self-driving future.
