Waymo Recalls Over 1,200 Autonomous Vehicles Due to Software Issues

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Waymo's autonomous vehicle fleet, highlighting the technology behind self-driving cars.

News Summary

Waymo is recalling 1,212 self-driving cars after a software defect was identified, affecting over 80% of its fleet. This recall follows several incidents of erratic driving behavior in key U.S. cities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the company. Despite the recall, Waymo continues to operate and plans to expand its services in Atlanta and other cities. The company also aims to launch a factory in Phoenix to produce robotaxis.

San Francisco – Waymo, the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has announced a significant recall involving over 1,200 of its self-driving cars due to a software defect, affecting more than 80% of its fleet. The recall impacts 1,212 vehicles that utilize Waymo’s fifth-generation automated driving software and comes in response to multiple high-profile incidents reported in major U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Austin, Phoenix, and San Francisco.

The safety concerns emerged after several incidents where the autonomous vehicles exhibited erratic behavior, leading to reports of vehicles driving on the wrong side of the road, slowly crashing into telephone poles, and trapping passengers inside. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into Waymo in May 2024 following the receipt of 22 such incidents involving the fifth-generation software.

This recall marks the third safety-related recall for the company in the past year, during which Waymo documented nine collisions involving its vehicles. However, despite these issues, Waymo has maintained that its autonomous cars are involved in fewer collisions overall when compared to human-driven vehicles. Data from Swiss Re indicates that Waymo’s vehicles record 81% fewer airbag deployment crashes, 78% fewer injury-causing incidents, and 62% fewer police-reported crashes.

Waymo’s spokesperson has stated that despite the recall, operations will continue. The necessary software updates to address the defect have already been deployed to the affected vehicles. Currently, Waymo is offering over 250,000 paid rides per week, showcasing the operational scalability of its autonomous technology in challenging driving environments.

In addition to addressing the recall, Waymo is positioning itself for future expansion by planning to launch its ride-hailing services in Atlanta, in collaboration with Uber, with a complete rollout scheduled for summer 2025. The company has also been expanding its testing markets, aiming to introduce services in ten new cities across the United States, including Boston and Dallas. Furthermore, Waymo is set to launch a new factory in Phoenix, which will have the capacity to produce “tens of thousands” of robotaxis annually by the end of the decade.

The scrutiny surrounding autonomous vehicles has intensified in light of recent incidents involving other companies, such as Tesla’s autonomous technology and a severe pedestrian injury caused by a Cruise vehicle in 2023. Waymo, while facing its own set of challenges, continues to advocate for the safety and reliability of its autonomous systems, emphasizing the reduction in injury-causing collisions and overall vehicle safety improvements compared to standard human driving performance.

Waymo’s operational journey began in November when it initiated service operations across various locations from Santa Monica to West Hollywood. Although the company is navigating through a complex landscape of safety concerns and operational challenges, it remains a key player in the autonomous vehicle sector, striving to provide a safer, more efficient transportation alternative to traditional driving.