Waymo has issued a software recall for more than 3,800 of its robotaxis over concerns that the driverless cars could enter closed freeway construction zones and continue driving at speed, increasing the risk of a crash. The Alphabet-owned robotaxi company filed a safety recall report with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week. “Under certain circumstances, the AV may enter and drive at speed in freeway construction zones due to inappropriately prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and/or failing to recognize the construction zone,” the report states. According to a NHTSA bulletin, Waymo is recalling 3,871 of its fifth-generation automated driving systems. The agency says the company is working on a software fix that will help the cars detect when they are in a construction zone and avoid entering one. In the meantime, Waymo has restricted the affected vehicles from driving on freeways.
The safety report says the recall was prompted by several incidents in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area. In Phoenix, Waymo said five of its vehicles drove past ramp closure signs and into pre-planned freeway construction zones. In the Bay Area, seven Waymo AVs entered freeway lanes with active construction by driving between cones marking a lane closure.
