Waymo announces recall after two robotaxis crash into same pickup truck

Last year, two Waymo robotaxis in Phoenix came into contact with the same pickup truck being towed, prompting the Alphabet subsidiary to issue a recall of its vehicle software. In this case, a “recall” means rolling out a software update after the problem has been investigated and its root cause determined.

Waymo revealed in a blog post that on December 11, 2023, one of its robotaxis collided with a pickup truck towing in front that was traveling backwards. The truck was improperly towed and crossed at an angle across the center turn lane and travel lane, the company said. Apparently, the tow truck did not pull over after the incident, and another Waymo vehicle came into contact with the pickup truck minutes later. Waymo did not elaborate on what it meant by “contact” between its robot axes and pickup trucks, but it did say the incidents resulted in no injuries and only minor vehicle damage. The self-driving vehicle involved in the collision was not carrying any passengers.

After an investigation, Waymo found that its software incorrectly predicted the pickup truck’s future motion due to a “persistent directional mismatch” between the towed and towing vehicles. The company developed and validated a software fix to prevent similar incidents in the future and began deploying the update across its fleet on December 20.

Waymo rival Cruise was involved in a more serious incident last year in which a robotaxi accidentally dragged a person hit by another vehicle dozens of feet onto a San Francisco street. California subsequently suspended its license to operate in the state, and Cruise ultimately suspended all robotaxi operations, even those driven by human drivers, as part of a safety review. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for Waymo, which recently announced it will begin testing self-driving cars on highways and highways in Phoenix and surrounding areas.