Waymo is recalling more than 1,000 vehicles under pressure from NHTSA after a rash of minor accidents involving the company’s self-driving vehicles, even as it asks for more information about Tesla’s robotaxi plans.
NHTSA recalled 1,200 Waymo vehicles to resolve a software issue.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a recall for more than 1,200 Waymo vehicles to address a software glitch that resulted in minor accidents involving the company’s autonomous vehicles.
The recall requires a software update to versions released before Nov. 7, 2024, NHTSA said in a recall notice on its website.
Waymo said it was aware of collisions with gates, chains, and other barriers between 2022 and late 2024, and filed a report with NHTSA confirming that the incidents did not result in any injuries.
Ready to comply
The Jaguar I-Pace has been the company’s primary vehicle since Waymo retired its fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans in 2023.
Waymo said it updated the ADS software, and all affected vehicles were repaired by the end of December.
The Jaguar I-Pace has been the company’s primary vehicle since Waymo retired its fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans in 2023.
The company once projected it would have 20,000 I-Paces operating as robotaxis but appears to have fallen significantly short of that goal.
Waymo vehicles are currently deployed in multiple locations in Los Angeles, Austin, San Francisco, and Phoenix with plans to offer service in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. in 2026.
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Waymo expanding fleet
To support its growing ridership in the United States, Waymo has contracted with Magna Steyer, which has opened an autonomous vehicle factory in Phoenix, Arizona.
The recall comes as Waymo is starting to expand production of its vehicles at its plant in Arizona.
The Waymo Driver integration plant will outfit Jaguar I-Paces equipped with The company’s autonomous technology, which officials noted is designed and assembled in the U.S. It’s produced in a 239,000 square-foot factory in Mesa, Arizona “that supports our future growth plans,” according to Waymo.
“The new Waymo and Magna manufacturing facility in Mesa is the latest example of Arizona being the new home for technology to innovate and grow,” said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs.
“I’m proud to see autonomous vehicles on our streets every day, helping get people where they need to be safely. The new manufacturing facility will enhance this presence, and the local jobs it is creating will help Arizona’s tech economy continue to rise on the world stage.”
More scrutiny of Tesla
NHTSA’s asked Tesla for additional information about its robotaxis..
NHTSA is also looking for additional information about Full Self-Driving (Supervised) to “understand how Tesla plans to evaluate its vehicles and driving automation technologies for use on public roads,” according to a letter published on Monday and first reported by Reuters.
Ironically, the NHTSA’s attention was attracted by a post Tesla shared on X on April 23 discussing the FSD Supervised ride-hailing service being “live for an early set of employees in Austin and San Francisco Bay Area.”
The NHTSA opened an investigation into Tesla FSD in October after four reported crashes in low-visibility conditions.
Despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s influence with the Trump administration, this week’s letter to EV maker from NHTSA letter seeks to determine whether the automated driving software Tesla will use for its planned robotaxi service is the same or like FSD Supervised available to Tesla customers.
The agency also wants to know how many vehicles will be used for the taxi service and whether they will include vehicles controlled by people other than Tesla. So far, Tesla has not yet responded.
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