Waymo recently recalled 1,212 of its self-driving taxis, according to the Alphabet-owned company.
The recalled cars, which comprised the entirety of the company’s fleet at the time, received a software update in November designed to significantly decrease the likelihood that Waymos would collide with stationary objects.
Last May, the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into Waymo for 22 reported incidents in which its AVs collided with objects like gates, chains, and parked vehicles. The cars also appeared to disobey traffic safety control devices.
The accidents occurred at low speeds and didn’t result in injuries. NHTSA’s investigation remains open.
Waymo voluntarily submitted the recall. It does not affect Waymo’s current operations, which include providing rides in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Waymo currently logs 250,000 paid trips every week.
“We hold ourselves to a high safety standard, and our record of reducing injuries over tens of millions of fully autonomous miles driven shows our technology is making roads safer,” a Waymo spokesperson said in a statement to Mashable. “NHTSA plays a vital role in road safety, and we will continue to work collaboratively with the agency as part of our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver.”
As AV companies like Waymo bring their self-driving cars to cities across the U.S., experts say unexpected safety issues may emerge.
Waymo recently published research comparing its vehicles to human drivers and found its driverless technology led to far fewer pedestrian-injuring crashes.
