Waymo recalls 3,800 robotaxis after self-driving car drove into flooded road

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Waymo is recalling nearly 3,800 of its driverless taxis in the U.S. because of a potential safety issue related to driving in heavy rain and flooded streets.

On May 12th, the company announced a recall after one of its self-driving cars entered a flooded street in San Antonio, Texas, on April 20th, during severe weather conditions.

Reuters reports the vehicle was empty when the incident occurred, and thankfully, no one was hurt. The event has prompted an internal investigation into how the department handles flooded roads and speed limits.

Okay, so we’ve been working on making things more stable, especially when the servers are under heavy load. We’ve also tweaked how we handle really bad weather – like, if it’s pouring rain – to try and prevent disconnects. Basically, we’re limiting access to parts of the game world that could cause issues if there’s sudden flooding, just to keep everyone safe and online.

Waymo also facing multiple federal investigations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stated that Waymo has limited service in some areas as it develops a lasting solution to a problem.

After the incident in San Antonio, Waymo improved its maps and limited operations during bad weather, the agency reported.

Over the past year, Waymo’s self-driving taxis have been involved in a number of widely-publicized incidents. One notable example occurred in Phoenix, where a passenger had to escape the vehicle after it mistakenly drove onto railroad tracks as a train approached.

A video from October 2025 showed a Waymo self-driving car going through a red light while carrying passengers.

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2026-05-12 19:20