The recall comes amid increased scrutiny of self-driving cars following a series of high-profile crashes and controversies. Recently, a Waymo robotaxi struck a cyclist and another autonomous vehicle was vandalized and burned in San Francisco. The company has been in communication with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the crashes and decided to voluntarily recall the software. This could increase public pressure on Waymo, as autonomous vehicle fleets are being closely examined by cities, citizens, and government agencies.
Key takeaways:
- Waymo is recalling the software that powers its robotaxi fleet following two crashes in Phoenix, Arizona, marking the company's first recall.
- The company has developed, tested, and validated a fix to the software, which was deployed to its fleet between December 20 and January 12.
- The recall comes amid increased scrutiny of self-driving cars following a series of high-profile crashes and controversies, including a Waymo robotaxi striking a cyclist and another being vandalized and burned in San Francisco.
- The recall could increase public pressure on Waymo, with cities, citizens, and government agencies scrutinizing the promise of autonomous vehicle fleets, and investigations underway by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.