Waymo Recalls 3,871 Robotaxis Over Freeway Construction Errors

Waymo LLC issued a voluntary software recall for 3,871 fifth-generation robotaxis after vehicles repeatedly entered closed freeway construction zones. The recall follows 13 documented incidents between April and May 2026, including six cases in Phoenix where vehicles ignored ramp-closure signs and seven in the San Francisco Bay Area where vehicles drove between cones into active work lanes.

The company suspended freeway operations on May 19 and formally decided to initiate the recall on June 8 after internal safety reviews. To resolve the defect, Waymo is developing software updates to improve situational awareness and detection of construction zones. While no injuries or collisions resulted from these specific incidents, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration noted that driving at speed in construction zones increases the potential for collisions and estimated that 100 percent of the affected fleet was susceptible to the glitch.

This marks the company's second recall in two months and its sixth overall. In May 2026, Waymo recalled approximately 3,800 vehicles for driving into flooded roadways. The company continues to operate on surface streets across 11 U.S. markets and plans international expansions to London and Tokyo later this year. Separately, Waymo remains under investigation by federal regulators for previous incidents involving a school bus and a collision with a child in Santa Monica.