So when you hear about Waymo’s, the AV company’s, voluntary software recall, that’s what’s going on. This decision follows a string of safety failures related to its AVs. The decision comes after numerous close calls in Texas raised concerns about the safety and operation of Waymo’s robotaxis, which are currently deployed in various U.S. cities.
Chief Safety Officer Mauricio Peña shared the news that Waymo vehicles have received important software updates. These improvements greatly increase their effectiveness. Stay tuned as Waymo will be watching these Long Vehicles closely for further updates when warranted.
Peña went on to laud Waymo’s recently touted safety record. In fact, the company has had twelve times fewer injury crashes with pedestrians than human drivers. To ensure we are upholding the highest safety standards, we need to be honest about where we can do better.
The recall comes amid a string of other disturbing occurrences that have been circulating widely on social media platforms. An airport-bound passenger to Phoenix Airport recently discovered he was locked inside a Waymo AV. The vehicle spun in circles around a supermarket parking lot for minutes before he was able to get free.
Furthermore, there have been at least 19 documented instances of Waymo vehicles passing stopped school buses since the school year commenced in August. These events were all recorded by cameras mounted on the Austin Independent School District’s fleet of school buses. Now, in response to that uproar, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation.
A video surfaced showing a Waymo driverless taxi inadvertently driving a passenger into an apparent police standoff in downtown Los Angeles. Such incidents have prompted inquiries into the operational safety protocols for Waymo vehicles.
Safety is our top priority at Waymo, for people who ride with us and for everyone we share the streets with. A Waymo spokesperson commented, “We gain valuable insights from rare events such as this one. This is how we constantly enhance road safety and deploy successfully in fast-paced, complex cities.
“To address the concerns raised by the recent incidents, Peña indicated that Waymo has decided to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA. “As a result, we have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to appropriately slowing and stopping in these scenarios,” he added.
The NHTSA is requiring Waymo to answer a number of questions regarding the school bus crashes. They want those responses filed by January 20, 2026. According to Waymo’s director of product management Vishay Nihalani, that reflects the deep analysis that the company has done on where it’s going. In response, they instituted remedies to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“We have analyzed the situation and implemented fixes so that such situations are much less likely to occur in the future,” Nihalani stated.
Waymo continues to expand its presence across various cities, including recent operations seen in New York on November 26, 2025. The firm stands by its promise to maintain the highest safety standards. It boldly confronts the promise and pitfalls of autonomous vehicle technology.
