Waymo InitiatesRecall of Nearly 4,000 Self-Driving Vehicles Over Freeway Construction Zone Safety Concerns

Waymo announced a recall of nearly 4,000 autonomous vehicles following multiple incidents in which its robotaxis entered closed freeway construction zones, as documented in a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall impacts 3,871 vehicles equipped with Waymo’s Fifth-Generation Automated Driving System.

According to the NHTSA filing, a software flaw may cause the vehicles to proceed through construction‑zone closures at posted speeds, potentially bypassing or failing to detect such boundaries.

Waymo has indicated that all 3,871 recalled units are believed to be affected by the issue.

WAYMO PAUSES FREEWAY ROBOTAXI ROUTES AFTER SAFETY AND SOFTWARE CONCERNS

A Waymo self-driving Jaguar I-PACE SUV waits at an intersection in San Francisco, March 18, 2025. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images / Getty Images)

According to the recall report, the Waymo Field Safety Committee initiated a review in late April after identifying six incidents in which robotaxis passed ramp‑closure signage and entered freeway construction zones.

The committee reconvened in May following the identification of seven additional occurrences within active construction zones in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Consequently, Waymo imposed temporary restrictions on freeway operations while engineers pursued identification of the underlying cause and development of a corrective solution, as disclosed in the filing.

The recall encompasses all 5th-Generation Automated Driving Systems produced between May 17, 2022, and May 19, 2026. As of June 13, a software fix remained in development, per the filing.

WAYMO RECALLS MASSIVE AUTONOMOUS FLEET AFTER INCIDENT FLAGS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE

Waymo’s legacy fully autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan. (Waymo / Fox News)

Waymo currently provides driverless ride‑hailing services in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, and has announced intentions to expand to additional markets.

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