Waymo recalls more than 1,200 self-driving cars after minor crashes
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - Waymo is recalling 1,212 driverless cars because of a software defect, according to a filing with the National Highway Safety Association this week.
The autonomous ride-hailing company, based in Mountain View, made the move after reporting it was aware of minor crashes with gates, chains, and other obstacles in the road.
The company operates more than 1,500 futuristic white cars driving without an actual human driver across San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin. The recall does not affect any vehicles currently on the road, Waymo spokesperson Ethan Teicher told the Los Angeles Times.
Last month, Waymo announced it wanted to expand to San Jose and parts of the Peninsula.
Waymo says in NHTSA report it was aware of collisions
Why you should care:
Waymo's filing stated that it was aware of 16 collisions between 2022 and 2024 which did not result in any injuries.
According to the recall notice, Waymo released a software update to fix the problem, and that update was rolled out in all affected vehicles.
RELATED: Self-driving cars could lead to a fourth, white traffic signal — or no signals at all
The Los Angeles Times reported that the NHTSA launched an investigation into Waymo in May 2024 after receiving reports of 22 incidents involving the fifth-generation software.
NHTSA officials said in a report that several incidents being probed involved collisions with "clearly visible objects that a competent driver would be expected to avoid," CNBC noted.
Waymo coming to Market Street
Waymo vehicles will soon be mapping and driving on Market Street in SF
Waymo’s past recalls
Dig deeper:
Waymo recalled 444 self-driving vehicles in February 2024 after two minor collisions in Arizona, with the company saying a software error may result in automated vehicles inaccurately predicting the movement of a towed vehicle.
Last year, the company recalled more than 670 cars after one of the vehicles hit a wooden utility pole in Phoenix, Arizona in May 2024.
Waymo is operated by Alphabet, Google’s parent company, and boasts 250,000 fully self-driving paid rides per week. The company plans to add services in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. in 2026.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by a Waymo filing with the NHTSA, Reuters, CNBC, KTVU, and the Los Angeles Times. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.