Waymo Recalls 3,800 Robotaxis, Updates SoftwareSan Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers - Getty ImagesWaymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the United States after one of its autonomous vehicles drove straight into a flooded road, reports Reuters. The recall is to fix a software issue that apparently didn’t let the car recognize the danger posed by venturing into water.The company said the incident happened April 20 in San Antonio, Texas, when severe weather caused several area roads to become submerged during a torrential downpour. No passengers were inside the vehicle, but it nonetheless prompted Waymo to review why this would happen in the first place and how its vehicles handle these types of scenarios.“We are working to implement additional software safeguards and have put mitigations in place, including refining our extreme weather operations during periods of intense rain, limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur,” Waymo said in a statement.AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Waymo has already taken steps to develop a permanent fix, including increasing a vehicle’s weather-related operating restrictions and updating maps to better identify flood-prone areas.A row of Waymos in San Francisco.Smith Collection/Gado - Getty ImagesThe recall adds to the questions aimed at autonomous vehicle technology. The robotaxi company is already under investigation by NHTSA after one of its vehicles struck a child near a school in California earlier this year. The National Transportation Safety Board is also looking into an incident that occurred this past January in Texas where Waymo vehicles reportedly passed a stopped school bus with its flashing lights activated.Waymo operates robotaxi in several US cities, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, and is continuing to expand into more complex environments and areas with more variable weather conditions.
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