Waymo Recalls 3,791 Robotaxis Over Flooded-Road Software Flaw

8 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 12

3,791 Waymo robotaxis are being recalled after a software flaw was found that could let the autonomous vehicles drive onto flooded roads.
The recall covers vehicles using Waymo’s fifth- and sixth-generation automated-driving systems, according to documents posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.
Waymo, owned by Alphabet, has already added operating constraints to the affected system while it works on a permanent software fix.
The action follows a flooded-road incident that exposed the issue, extending scrutiny of how robotaxis handle hazardous real-world conditions.

Waymo claims its AI is safer than humans, but can it regain trust after failing to recognize a simple flooded road?

Does this software flaw reveal a critical vulnerability in all autonomous systems when facing unpredictable, real-world conditions?