Waymo LLC Resumes Robotaxi Freeway Services After Software Recall

Waymo LLC began gradually resuming autonomous robotaxi services on freeways on July 29, 2026. The rollout started in Phoenix and expanded to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, and Miami. These operations had been suspended since May 19, 2026, after regulators found that the company's fifth-generation automated driving system failed to reliably recognize construction zones, resulting in 13 incidents where vehicles entered closed freeway sections.

To resolve these defects, Waymo LLC implemented software updates focusing on enhanced scene recognition and routing. In June, the company issued a voluntary recall of 3,871 Jaguar vehicles. Despite the system failures in Arizona and California, the company reported that no injuries or collisions occurred during the incidents.

The resumption of service coincides with heightened regulatory and public scrutiny. Representative Kevin Mullin recently proposed a bill for national autonomous vehicle safety standards after robotaxis reportedly blocked emergency responders. Additionally, Waymo LLC faced criticism in San Francisco after vehicles contributed to traffic congestion during a July 4 fireworks display. The company continues commercial operations across 11 U.S. markets and intends to expand internationally later this year.