Waymo has recalled approximately 3,800 autonomous taxis in the United States to address software issues that led to vehicles “driving onto a flooded road.” This is according to a letter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The American regulator stated that the voluntary recall pertains to vehicles equipped with fifth and sixth generation autonomous driving systems.
Earlier, cameras in Austin, Texas, captured Waymo’s autonomous vehicles driving onto a flooded street, where they stalled and blocked other drivers. One unoccupied vehicle was swept into a creek.
The company announced that it has found a way to improve vehicle performance in impassable flooded lanes.
“Waymo conducts over half a million trips a week in some of the most challenging driving conditions across the United States, and safety is our top priority,” company representatives noted.
The company is working on “additional software safety measures” and has implemented “tools to mitigate risks,” which limit the operational area of robotaxis in extreme weather conditions.
Robotaxi Imperfections
Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere, highlighting ongoing safety issues with robotaxis.
Waymo has faced criticism for its vehicles failing to yield to school buses in Austin. The company’s cars have also become stuck on the streets of San Francisco due to widespread power outages.
Users have repeatedly posted photos and videos of traffic incidents: groups of robotaxis with hazard lights on blocking traffic, causing disruptions to the general flow.
Power out in SF and the @Waymo’s are causing a MASSIVE jam in North Beach 🤣 pic.twitter.com/fuvhprlyma
— Iago Maciel (@_iagomaciel) December 21, 2025
Waymo offers commercial services in 11 U.S. markets, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Miami.
Back in April, dozens of Apollo Go robotaxis from Baidu came to a halt in the middle of traffic in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The situation led to collisions, and passengers were trapped in the vehicles.