Alphabet’s Waymo, a leader in autonomous vehicles, has issued a recall for 444 self-driving cars after encountering two minor collisions in Arizona. The incidents were attributed to a software error that could cause the vehicles to inaccurately predict the movement of towed vehicles. The flaw was addressed with a software update last month, but Waymo reported the incidents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), demonstrating a proactive approach to safety concerns.
In a filing with the NHTSA, Waymo detailed an incident in December where one of its autonomous vehicles in Phoenix made contact with a pickup truck being towed backward at an angle. Another Waymo vehicle, minutes later, had a second collision with the same towed pickup truck. Fortunately, both events occurred at low relative speeds, and no injuries were reported. Waymo has engaged in discussions with the NHTSA on multiple occasions since December, emphasizing its commitment to addressing the issue and fulfilling relevant notification obligations.
The recall announcement follows a recent incident where a Waymo self-driving car was vandalized and set on fire in San Francisco, marking a significant attack on autonomous vehicles. This incident, combined with growing safety concerns, has led to calls from California lawmakers and labor unions for regulations preventing autonomous trucks without human drivers. Meanwhile, electric automaker Lucid Group has also announced a recall of 189 Air vehicles to address a software issue that could result in a loss of drive power. Both Waymo and Lucid have not provided comments on the recalls.
