Waymo is recalling nearly 3,900 robotaxis to fix a software issue that caused some vehicles to enter active freeway construction zones and continue driving at speed, according to recall notices filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Recall Details

The recall affects Waymo’s 5th-generation automated driving system (ADS), and NHTSA said all of the recalled vehicles are believed to have the defect. The issue stems from how the autonomous vehicles respond in certain scenarios.

Under certain circumstances, the autonomous vehicle may enter and drive at speed in freeway construction zones due to inappropriately prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and/or failing to recognize the construction zone.

NHTSA added that driving at speed in a freeway construction zone increases the potential for collisions. The recall follows 13 known incidents, including six in Phoenix in April and seven in San Francisco in May.

Waymo temporarily restricted robotaxis from operating on freeways while it investigated the issue. The company is developing a remedy to address the problem and has limited robotaxi availability on freeways.

Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.