Waymo Recalls 3,800 Robotaxis After Flood Incident

Waymo is recalling 3,800 robotaxis from six major U.S. cities following an incident where one of its self-driving vehicles drove into floodwaters in San Antonio, Texas. The recall, confirmed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), stems from an event on April 20, 2026, when an empty Waymo vehicle entered a flooded road and was swept away into a creek.

According to UPI, the company stated it is working to implement additional software safeguards. These measures include refining operations during extreme weather conditions and limiting access to areas prone to flash flooding. The affected cities are Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, San Antonio, and Atlanta.

The recall affects vehicles using Waymo's fifth and sixth-generation automated driving systems (ADS), as reported by BBC. A spokesperson for the company emphasized that safety is their primary priority. The incident has led to a temporary suspension of Waymo's robotaxi service in San Antonio, though the company plans to resume operations once the software fix is implemented.

The recall comes amid growing concerns over the safety of autonomous vehicles. CNBC reported that Waymo has faced criticism for previous incidents, including vehicles failing to yield to school buses and performance issues during power outages in San Francisco. The company currently operates in 11 U.S. markets, providing more than 500,000 trips per week.