After minor accidents: Waymo recalls 1,200 self-driving vehicles

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The US robotaxi company Waymo is recalling more than 1,200 self-driving vehicles to update the software. The aim is to eliminate the risk of collisions with parked cars and other stationary objects. A year ago, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into the Alphabet subsidiary as a result.

According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the recall affects 1,212 Waymo vehicles which, according to the company, operate with the fifth generation of the automated driving system software (Automated Driver System – ADS), and therefore probably a large part of Waymo's current vehicle fleet. This currently comprises 1,500 vehicles and offers more than 250,000 paid rides per week in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin. Another 2,000 fully autonomous vehicles are to be added to the fleet by 2026.

Investigation by the transport authority

Waymo explained that the company is aware of 16 collisions with chains, gates and other barriers between 2022 and the end of 2024. However, according to a report submitted to the NHTSA, there were no injuries. In May 2024, the US Transportation Safety Administration opened an investigation into possible violations of traffic safety laws by Waymo robot cabs, which it expanded shortly afterwards following further incidents. The reason: unexpected traffic accidents, including collisions with fixed obstacles, as well as potential violations of road safety regulations.

At the time, there were initially 22 incidents plus nine other similar cases involving Waymo cars driving autonomously on the road. According to the NHTSA, 17 Waymo robotaxis had collided with parked cars, gates or chains, for example, and in five cases the vehicles had driven into the busy lanes of oncoming traffic when overtaking weaker road users or merging into traffic. The investigation is still ongoing.

New software version

According to Waymo, the problems have been resolved with the latest sixth-generation ADS software. This latest software version will be deployed across the company's entire fleet by the end of December, it said.

“The data so far shows that Waymo Driver is already reducing the number of traffic accidents and fatalities in the places where we currently operate,” Waymo writes in the company's own web blog. Elsewhere, the company refers to a new study according to which Waymo is reducing serious accidents and making the roads safer for the most vulnerable people.

Not the first recall

Nevertheless, incidents still occur. In February 2024, Waymo recalled 444 self-driving vehicles after two minor accidents occurred in quick succession in the US state of Arizona. Among other things, a self-driving Waymo cab collided with a reversing pickup truck. Waymo said at the time that it had been improperly towed away, causing the robotaxi's software to incorrectly calculate the route.

Following another accident in May in Arizona's capital Phoenix – a driverless Waymo cab rammed into a telephone pole at low speed – the company began another voluntary recall of over 670 vehicles, also due to the ADS software. Waymo attributed the collision to faulty maps and codes.

Last fall, the General Motors subsidiary Cruise was fined millions following an accident involving one of its autonomous cars in San Francisco. Shortly afterwards, the autopilot of US car manufacturer Tesla came under scrutiny from the authorities after a number of accidents. The NHTSA wants to clarify how Tesla's Autopilot deals with poor conditions. 2.4 million vehicles are affected. The road safety authority also sees unanswered questions regarding the cab service with autonomously driving cars that Tesla plans to launch in the USA in June. Last week, the Amazon subsidiary Zoox recalled 270 robotaxis after an unoccupied robotaxi was involved in an accident with a car in Las Vegas, in which fortunately no one was injured.

(akn)