Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis after 13 construction zone incidents

Waymo's robotaxis drove into closed highway construction zones 13 times across two cities, forcing the company's sixth recall and a halt to all freeway operations.

Waymo recalled 3,871 robotaxis after its self-driving software drove into closed highway construction zones 13 times in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area, the company's sixth recall and the second in two months. The Alphabet-owned operator pulled all vehicles from freeway service on May 19 and has not resumed highway operations, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing.

"The software was prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and/or failing to recognize the construction zone," Waymo told NHTSA. The vehicles passed ramp closure signs, traffic cones and flashing lights before entering sections of freeway closed for active construction, the filing shows.

Six incidents occurred in Phoenix in April. Seven happened in the San Francisco Bay Area on a single day in May. One rider posted footage on X showing a Waymo that "blasted through cones" and was chased by police. "There were construction signs. There were lights going on. Police in the distance and it sped up," the rider told CBS News. "That's when I looked at my fiancee, we're done. This is it. We're dead." Waymo offered the rider three free rides worth up to $40 each.

The recall highlights the edge-case problem facing autonomous vehicle operators: situations that are obvious to human drivers — don't drive through a closed construction zone — require AI training data that may not exist yet. Waymo has driven more than 170 million autonomous miles and claims a 13-times reduction in serious-injury-or-worse crashes compared with human drivers, according to BofA Securities analyst Alexander Perry. But the company has now recalled vehicles for driving into flooded roads, colliding with telephone poles and gates, behaving illegally around school buses, and crashing into a towed truck. An NHTSA investigation into a January incident where a robotaxi struck a child near a school remains open.

Waymo operates at least 3,800 robotaxis across 11 cities and is expanding to more than 20 markets this year, including London and Tokyo. It launched a $29.99 monthly subscription tier last week targeting frequent riders. The company started offering freeway rides in November 2025 — seven months before pulling the feature entirely.

Alphabet shares fell 0.4% in premarket trading on the news, a muted reaction that suggests investors view the recall as a routine software fix rather than a structural setback. The stock has gained 110% over the past 12 months. Waymo said a software patch is under development.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.