Waymo Recalls Nearly 3,900 Robotaxis After Construction Zone Incidents

Waymo recalled nearly 3,900 robotaxis across the United States after several vehicles entered freeway construction zones where they were not supposed to operate. No injuries resulted from the incidents, the company said. The problem affected cars using Waymo's fifth-generation self-driving system.

The incidents occurred in Phoenix and San Francisco. Waymo has already restricted freeway operations for all affected vehicles while engineers work on a software fix. Riders can still use the robotaxis on regular city streets in all operating markets.

This is Waymo's second voluntary recall this year. In February, the company updated its software after some vehicles drove into flooded areas. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration oversees such recalls.

Waymo is the largest commercial robotaxi operator in the United States, currently running services in Phoenix and San Francisco. It has plans to expand to other cities and launch internationally. The recall covers vehicles in those cities and others where the fifth-generation system is in use. Waymo is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL).

The company said it expects to roll out the software update in the coming weeks. Until then, affected vehicles will stay off freeways.