This incident highlights the challenges faced by autonomous vehicle companies in preparing for every possible scenario. It comes amid growing scrutiny of the safety of driverless cars, with Waymo's main rival, Cruise, forced to recall its entire fleet last year after a pedestrian was hit and dragged. Despite these incidents, Waymo maintains that its driverless taxis, operating 24/7 in San Francisco since August 2023, are safer than cars with human drivers.
Key takeaways:
- Waymo, a driverless car company, has issued a recall after two of its cars collided with the same pickup truck due to a software error.
- The company has updated its software to fix the issue and issued a voluntary recall notice following consultations with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- Despite the incident, Waymo insists that its driverless robotaxis, which have been operating paid 24/7 services in San Francisco since August 2023, are safer than cars with human drivers.
- Autonomous vehicles, including Waymo and its rival Cruise, have faced backlash and growing safety concerns in recent months.