Zoox recalls 258 self-driving cars over unexpected braking

Zoox, Amazon's autonomous driving unit, has voluntarily recalled 258 vehicles due to a flaw in its autonomous driving system that can cause unexpected hard braking. This recall was prompted by a preliminary investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after two incidents where motorcyclists collided with the rear of Zoox vehicles, specifically Toyota Highlanders equipped with Zoox technology. The vehicles being recalled are those with software versions released before November 5, 2024, and Zoox has addressed the issue with a software update by November 7, 2024. The recall raises questions about whether Zoox's custom-built robotaxis, currently being tested in San Francisco and Las Vegas, are also affected.

This recall is part of a broader trend of increased regulatory scrutiny on autonomous vehicles, following safety incidents involving other companies like Cruise and Waymo. Zoox's recall comes after Waymo's recall of 672 Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis last year due to safety incidents. Zoox is also planning to expand its testing to Austin and Miami. The article is written by Rebecca Bellan, a transportation reporter for TechCrunch with a background in journalism and history from Boston University.

Key takeaways

Zoox, Amazon's autonomous driving unit, is recalling 258 vehicles due to issues with its autonomous driving system causing unexpected hard braking.
The recall affects Toyota Highlanders equipped with Zoox technology and software versions released before November 5, 2024.
Zoox addressed the issue with a software update by November 7, 2024, following a preliminary investigation by the NHTSA.
The recall follows heightened scrutiny from regulators after safety incidents involving other autonomous vehicle companies like Cruise and Waymo.

Zoox recalls 258 self-driving cars over unexpected braking | TechCrunch

Key takeaways

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