Overview
- Waymo filed a voluntary U.S. safety recall covering about 3,800 self-driving cars after an April 20 incident in San Antonio where an empty robotaxi drove into floodwater and was swept into a creek.
- Sensors detected the standing water, but the software let the car continue at a slower speed, which regulators described as a decision-making flaw rather than a sensor failure.
- The recall applies to vehicles running Waymo’s fifth- and sixth‑generation automated driving systems, and the company has pushed an interim over‑the‑air update and added weather-based operating limits.
- A permanent software fix is still in development, and service in San Antonio is uncertain, with Waymo saying it is preparing to resume rides while another outlet reports the service remains paused.
- Industry analysts say the event highlights a broader problem for robotaxis where systems can perceive a hazard yet still select an unsafe action, raising fresh scrutiny of how these cars handle rare but dangerous scenarios.