Waymo announced last week that it has initiated a voluntary recall for the software installed on all of its self-driving taxis in Phoenix due to two minor accidents.
According to Waymo, two self-driving SUVs both encountered the same tow truck within a few minutes of each other on December 11, 2023. It was reported that neither of the SUVs had passengers on board at the time of the incident.
According to a statement released by Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Peña, the truck involved in the incident was found to be pulling a pickup truck in an incorrect manner, with the latter being positioned at an angle across a center turn lane and a traffic lane. It was reported that the truck did not come to a stop after the initial collision.
According to Waymo, the incidents did not cause any injuries and only resulted in minor damage to the vehicles involved.
How did Waymo respond to minor collisions in Phoenix?
On the day of the collisions, the Phoenix Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety were informed by the company. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was notified four days later.
Waymo consulted with the NHTSA and subsequently released a software update on December 20th to address the issue. The update was successfully implemented on January 12th and Waymo officially reported the recall to the NHTSA this week.
The possible recall affects a total of 444 self-driving cars.
Waymo was originally launched as a self-driving car initiative by Google and currently operates as a subsidiary of Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Its advanced SUVs have become a familiar presence on the roads of metro Phoenix since the start of testing in the East Valley back in 2017.
Three years ago, the company introduced the first ever fully autonomous taxi service in the nation, called Waymo One. Customers have the ability to request a ride from the self-driving cars using a mobile application, similar to the process of booking a ride with Uber or Lyft.
Waymo One has gradually been increasing its abilities since its launch in October 2022, initially offering services in a 50 square mile region encompassing Chandler and its surroundings.
The coverage area expanded significantly in May 2023, encompassing more than 180 square miles that include a majority of Chandler and Tempe, as well as portions of Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa.
In July, the coverage of the service expanded by an additional 45 square miles, including new stops like Camelback Mountain, McCormick Ranch, and The Farm at South Mountain on the Waymo One map.
