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Waymo Recalls 3,800 Robotaxis Over Flood-Risk Software Flaw

ai-technology · 2026-05-12

Due to a software defect that may lead self-driving cars to enter floodwaters, Waymo has announced a recall affecting almost 3,800 vehicles. This decision comes after an event in April in San Antonio, Texas, where a driverless Waymo car entered a flooded area amid severe weather conditions. The company has pinpointed the software problem and is working on updating the programming across its fleet to avert future incidents. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries. Waymo, which is a part of Alphabet, provides autonomous ride-hailing services in various cities across the United States.

Key facts

  • Waymo recalled nearly 3,800 robotaxis.
  • Recall due to software flaw that could steer vehicles into floods.
  • Incident occurred in April in San Antonio, Texas.
  • Unoccupied Waymo vehicle drove into a flooded lane during extreme weather.
  • No injuries were reported.
  • Waymo is updating software to fix the flaw.
  • Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet.
  • Waymo operates autonomous ride-hailing services in US cities.

Entities

Institutions

  • Waymo
  • Alphabet

Locations

  • San Antonio
  • Texas
  • United States

Sources