Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company, is implementing a software fix to address a mapping and software issue following a collision involving one of its self-driving taxis in Phoenix. The voluntary recall, classified by NHTSA, is part of Waymo’s commitment to ensuring safety in its operations.
Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company, is implementing a software fix following an incident where one of its self-driving taxis collided with a telephone pole in Phoenix on May 21. This decision, which aims to address a “mapping and software issue,” marks the second safety recall since Waymo began its commercial service in 2018. The company, which also operates in San Francisco and Los Angeles, stated that the fix will be applied via a software update without disrupting current operations.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) classified this fix as a voluntary recall and confirmed receiving notification from Waymo. NHTSA plans to publish related documents online. Waymo stated, “We went to work immediately and determined that, in certain situations, our vehicles had an insufficient ability to avoid collisions with on-road narrow, permanent objects within the drivable surface.” The incident resulted in no injuries.
The scrutiny on self-driving vehicles has increased, with NHTSA already investigating multiple companies, including Waymo and its competitor Zoox, owned by Amazon. The Waymo investigation encompasses nearly two dozen incidents where its vehicles reportedly hit stationary objects or disobeyed traffic signals.
The recall is part of Waymo’s ongoing efforts to ensure safety as it expands its services to more cities.
