A Waymo vehicle leaves a charging station in Austin, Texas, on January 15, 2026.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S. to fix a software issue that allowed them to “drive onto flooded roads,” according to a letter posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.
U.S. auto safety regulators said in a letter posted Tuesday that the voluntary recall covers Waymo vehicles equipped with the company’s fifth- and sixth-generation autonomous driving systems (ADS).
A Waymo self-driving car in Austin, Texas, was recently caught on camera stalling on a flooded road and having to be evaded by other drivers. Similar accidents have occurred elsewhere, raising the latest safety concerns. alphabetWith its AV unit, it is rapidly expanding its fleet and entering new markets in the United States.
Waymo has drawn criticism for its vehicles’ performance in failing to yield to school buses in Austin and when its robotaxis caused traffic jams during a massive power outage in San Francisco in December.
The company said in a statement Tuesday that it has “identified improvements related to highway-specific impassable flooded lanes” and has chosen to file a “voluntary software recall” with NHTSA.
“Waymo provides more than 500,000 rides each week in some of the most challenging driving environments across the country, and safety is our top priority,” the company said.
Waymo added that it is working on “additional software safeguards” and has taken “mitigation measures” to limit where its robotaxis operate during extreme weather events to avoid “areas where flash flooding may occur” during heavy rain.
The company currently operates commercial robotaxi services in 11 U.S. markets, with widespread public access in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Miami. This service is available to some passengers in some markets.
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