Waymo pauses freeway robotaxi routes after safety and software concerns

Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle company, has halted freeway operations for its robotaxi service across several U.S. markets as it works to improve software performance in challenging driving conditions. The pause affects only freeway routes, with surface street operations remaining active. Waymo cited issues in construction zones, where its vehicles navigate over 10,000 times daily, as a key focus for updates. The decision follows recent incidents, including a pause in Atlanta after flash-flooding events disrupted service. Waymo previously recalled 3,791 vehicles equipped with fifth- and sixth-generation Automated Driving Systems (ADS) due to flooding-related software flaws, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identified as potentially causing loss of vehicle control. NHTSA reported that Waymo vehicles may slow down but fail to fully stop when encountering standing water on higher-speed roads. The recall came after an April 20 incident where an unoccupied Waymo vehicle detected a flooded roadway with a 40 mph speed limit and proceeded at reduced speed instead of stopping. Waymo applied an interim remedy on that date, restricting ADS operations to avoid flooded, high-speed roadways, while continuing to develop a final solution. The company operates thousands of autonomous vehicles in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. Waymo emphasized that safety remains its top priority, stating it is integrating recent technical learnings into its software to improve performance. The company expects to resume freeway operations soon after completing the updates. The pause underscores ongoing challenges in autonomous vehicle technology, particularly in handling unpredictable road conditions.