Waymo Recalls 3,871 Robotaxis After 13 Highway Construction-Zone Incidents

Waymo recalled 3,871 of its fifth-generation automated driving systems after its robotaxis entered freeway construction zones on at least 13 occasions. Six incidents occurred in Phoenix in April when five vehicles drove past ramp closure signs into pre-planned construction areas.

Seven more took place in the San Francisco Bay Area in May when vehicles drove between cones marking active lane closures.

Waymo pulled its robotaxis from all highways on May 19. The company said its software had prioritized avoidance of other freeway hazards or failed to recognize construction zones. A software fix is currently under development, according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Waymo is not removing vehicles from service and continues operating on surface streets. The recall marks the sixth issued by the company. Earlier recalls addressed vehicles driving into flooded roads in May, illegal behavior around school buses in December, low-speed collisions with chains, gates and telephone poles, and problems with towed trucks.

Waymo’s driving software remains under investigation by the NHTSA and National Transportation Safety Board regarding school-bus interactions after one robotaxi struck a child near a school in January. The company’s safety board decided to issue the recall on June 8.

Waymo has driven more than 170 million miles autonomously and claims its vehicles show a 13-times reduction in serious-injury-or-worse crashes compared with human drivers.

The company plans to launch service in more than 20 cities this year, including London and Tokyo. It began offering highway rides in November 2025. On May 19, X user @Elliot_slade posted video of one incident and said the vehicle “blasted through cones” and was chased by police.