Waymo pauses robotaxis in five US cities after cars drive into flooded roads

Waymo paused its self-driving car service in five US cities after a software issue led some robotaxis to enter flooded roads and become stuck. A recall was issued for nearly 3,800 robotaxis using fifth and sixth-generation automated driving systems following an incident in San Antonio, Texas on 20 April, when an empty vehicle was swept into a creek. A similar incident occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, prompting an expanded temporary pause “out of an abundance of caution.” Waymo also suspended freeway service in the US while improving performance in construction zones. The company said it is monitoring weather and alerts and expects to resume service soon, while adding “additional software safeguards.”

"Waymo has now paused its self-driving car service in five US cities, in response to a software issue which has seen some vehicles enter flooded roads and get stuck. The US firm recently issued a recall of thousands of robotaxis following an incident on 20 April in San Antonio, Texas when an empty Waymo vehicle entered a flooded road and was swept into a creek. Following a similar incident in Atlanta, Georgia, a Waymo spokesperson said it had expanded the temporary pause to five cities - four in Texas as well as Atlanta - "out of an abundance of caution"."

"The company told Reuters it had also suspended services on US freeways as it works to improve its cars' performances in construction zones. "We continue to closely monitor forecasts, alerts, and live weather conditions, and we will resume serving riders soon," it said. In response, Waymo issued a voluntary recall of nearly 3,800 of its robotaxis that use the company's fifth and sixth-generation automated driving systems, and said it was working on "additional software safeguards"."

"On Wednesday an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi was reported trapped in flood water on a road in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the firm has temporarily pulled its service on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami, and said it was evaluating its cars' performance in construction zones. In a statement given to Reuters, the company said it expected to resume those routes soon."

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