Waymo recalls 3,800 robotaxis after one drove itself into a flood

"“The software may allow the vehicle to slow and then drive into standing water on higher speed roadways,” Waymo said in a letter [PDF] to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week. “Entering a flooded roadway can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.”"

"“All 3,791 cars running Waymo's fifth and sixth-generation Automated Driving Systems (ADS) are being taken off the road before they potentially injure passengers.” “Waymo said all affected cars received an update on April 20, which increased ‘weather-related constraints and updated the vehicle maps,’ which served as an ‘interim remedy’ while it works on a more permanent solution.”"

"“On 4/20/2026, an unoccupied Waymo AV encountered an untraversable flooded section of a roadway that has a 40 mph speed limit,” the company wrote in one document [PDF] supporting the recall notice. “The Waymo AV detected potentially untraversable flood water and proceeded at reduced speed.”"

"Waymo temporarily suspended its services in San Antonio as a result and started pulling cars from the city's fleet days after. The suspension remains in place today. The company currently operates 24/7 driverless robotaxi services in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area."

Waymo is recalling almost 3,800 robotaxis because software may allow vehicles to slow and then drive into standing water on higher-speed roadways. The recall covers 3,791 cars using Waymo’s fifth and sixth-generation Automated Driving Systems. Entering flooded roadways can cause loss of vehicle control and increase crash or injury risk. Waymo says affected vehicles received an April 20 update that increased weather-related constraints and updated vehicle maps as an interim remedy. The recall followed a San Antonio incident where a robotaxi drove into floodwater and became stuck. Waymo temporarily suspended service in San Antonio and began removing cars from the fleet, with the suspension still in place. Waymo operates 24/7 driverless services in multiple US cities and plans to launch in London pending regulatory changes.

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