Waymo robotaxi stopped at a closed freeway entrance with a safety driver present.
Waymo, the self-driving technology company owned by Alphabet, is recalling approximately 3,871 of its robotaxis. The recall is a response to over a dozen incidents where the autonomous vehicles entered closed freeway construction zones. This action has led Waymo to pause its freeway robotaxi operations.
The affected vehicles are equipped with Waymo’s 5th Generation Automated Driving System. According to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the software defect could prevent the vehicles from recognizing or properly avoiding certain construction zone closures. This could lead to the vehicles continuing to travel at posted speeds within these hazardous areas.
Waymo’s Field Safety Committee began investigating the issue in late April after identifying six instances of robotaxis bypassing ramp closure signs and entering construction zones. By May, the committee had documented an additional seven incidents involving active construction zones, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. In total, 13 reported incidents prompted the company to restrict freeway driving while engineers worked on a solution.
The recall specifically covers Waymo 5th Generation Automated Driving Systems manufactured between May 17, 2022, and May 19, 2026. As of June 13, a software remedy was still under development.
Waymo currently operates its driverless ride-hailing services in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, with plans to expand to more markets. A Waymo spokesperson confirmed the voluntary recall, stating that the company proactively restricted freeway operations to implement improvements and notified regulators. “We identified an area of improvement regarding performance around freeway construction zones,” the spokesperson said.
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