Waymo recalls 3,800 robotaxis over risk of entering flooded roads

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, May ‌12 (Reuters) - Waymo ​said ​on Tuesday it is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the United States after identifying a ‌risk that vehicles could enter flooded roads with higher ⁠speed limits, raising safety concerns.

The Alphabet unit said the recall followed ‌an incident on April ‌20 in which a Waymo vehicle drove into a flooded lane in San Antonio during extreme weather. Waymo ​said the vehicle was unoccupied and there were no injuries but the incident prompted the company to ⁠review similar scenarios involving high speeds and impassable flooded roads.

"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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety ⁠Administration said Waymo has temporarily narrowed its operating scope to increase weather-related restrictions and updated its maps while it works ⁠on a permanent remedy.

Separately, Waymo is facing a NHTSA investigation after one ​of its self-driving vehicles struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, in January, causing minor injuries.

In March, ‌the National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating a January incident in which Waymo ‌self-driving vehicles passed a stopped school bus with its ⁠lights activated in violation of ‌Texas sate law.

(Reporting ​by David Shepardson in Washington and Ananya Palyekar in Bengaluru. Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Mark ‌Potter)

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