Waymo issues OTA recall over freeway construction zone issue

Waymo is facing another software recall—this time involving its autonomous vehicles entering closed freeway construction zones. This latest problem comes just weeks after the company recalled thousands of robotaxis over a floodwater-related safety issue,

According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the over-the-air (OTA) recall covers 3,900 vehicles equipped with its fifth-generation Automated Driving System (ADS) to fix a flaw that could allow the vehicles to drive past freeway closure signs and enter active construction areas.

In its filing, Waymo says they recorded at least 13 incidents between April and May in which its autonomous vehicles failed to properly recognize freeway closures.

The issue first emerged in April when Waymo vehicles in Phoenix entered pre-planned freeway construction zones after failing to recognize closure signage. The company responded by limiting freeway operations in the city while engineers investigated the problem.

A second series of incidents occurred in May in Northern California. According to the recall filing, some vehicles entered freeway lanes with active construction work after the software either prioritized avoiding other hazards or failed to correctly identify the construction zone itself.

“Driving through a closed construction zone increases the risk of a crash,” Waymo acknowledged in its filing.

The recall marks Waymo’s second major safety action in just over a month. In May, the company recalled 3,791 robotaxis after an unoccupied vehicle drove into floodwaters in San Antonio and was swept away. That incident prompted Waymo to implement additional restrictions around flooded roadways.

The company has also issued recalls in recent years related to school bus interactions, collisions with gates and chains, encounters with stationary objects, and issues involving towed vehicles. Separately, Waymo remains under investigation by NHTSA following a January incident in which one of its vehicles struck a child near a California elementary school.

You can read the full recall notice below.