Waymo recalls software in its cars after robotaxi crash

Robotaxi company Waymo has voluntarily recalled software in all of its 672 self-driving vehicles..

Robotaxi company Waymo has voluntarily recalled software in all its 672 self-driving vehicles, according to a safety recall report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

The report said that on May 21, a Waymo vehicle driving in Phoenix hit a utility pole while attempting a low-speed pullover maneuver. There were no passengers in the car or injuries related to the crash, according to the report, only damage to the car. 

The passenger the Waymo car was supposed to pick up told NBC affiliate KPNX of Phoenix last month that she was visiting Phoenix and wanted to try out the service. She said she heard the sound of the crash as she waited for her ride, which never arrived.

The report noted that the defective software could potentially pose issues in situations where a “pole-like object” was present but there was no hard road edge between the pole and the drivable surface.

Waymo estimated that 100% of its cars had the defect that caused the crash, according to the NHTSA report, which contributed to the decision to recall the software in all its cars. Waymo controls all its cars and said that it has issued updates to address the issue in its entire fleet, according to the report.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/waymo-recalls-software-cars-robotaxi-crash-rcna157030

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