- Waymo recalled 1,212 vehicles for a software update to help prevent crashes.
- The company's fifth-generation Automated Driving System had trouble with objects like gates and chains.
- This was already resolved through a fleet-wide update that ended in late December 2024.
Waymo is having some trouble with its autonomous tech. The ride-hailing company has recalled 1,212 vehicles to address problems with minor collisions. It seems the driverless taxis have issues identifying certain obstacles. And it's not a problem relegated to certain vehicles in certain areas—the recall covers a vast majority of Waymo's fleet operating in several major cities.
The good news is that the issue apparently involves low-speed impacts. According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Waymo vehicles running the fifth-generation Automated Driving System (ADS) software have trouble "with stationary and semi-stationary objects such as gates and chains."
NHTSA launched an investigation into this problem in May 2024 based on seven incidents where autonomous Waymos hit gates and chains. By the end of 2024, Waymo reported an additional nine collisions with similar barriers. There are no known injuries resulting from these collisions.
Ordinarily, a recall means vehicles need to go in for service or get some kind of software update. Curiously, this recall comes after the fix has already been applied. Per the recall report, Waymo initiated a software update for its entire fleet that was completed by December 26.
The update applies to Waymo's fifth-generation software. The sixth-generation version has not been implemented yet. A Waymo spokesperson provided InsideEVs with the following statement:
“Waymo provides more than 250,000 paid trips every week in some of the most challenging driving environments in the U.S. We hold ourselves to a high safety standard, and our record of reducing injuries over tens of millions of fully autonomous miles driven shows our technology is making roads safer. NHTSA plays a vital role in road safety, and we will continue to work collaboratively with the agency as part of our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver.”
This isn't Waymo's first recall involving its ADS systems causing crashes. In February 2024, the company recalled 444 vehicles that had trouble sussing out what to do with vehicles being towed. In June, another recall addressed problems identifying "a pole or pole-like permanent object."
Though the recent recall addresses collision issues, NHTSA's investigation into Waymo's ADS tech is still ongoing.
