Waymo has recalled its entire fleet of nearly 4,000 robotaxis to prevent them from driving on highways after identifying at least 13 instances where its vehicles drove straight into highway sections closed for construction.
This is the company’s sixth recall in under a year, and follows separate incidents involving flooded roads, telephone poles, chains and gates, towed trucks, and school buses.
So what actually happened out there on the highway?
The incidents happened in two waves. Six robotaxis drove past ramp-closure signs and directly into active construction zones in Phoenix, Arizona, in April 2026. The software failed to recognize the closure signs entirely.
In May, seven more did the same in the San Francisco Bay Area. This time, the software prioritized avoiding other highway hazards and missed the construction zone (via TechCrunch).
One passenger’s account from May 19, shared with CBS News, captures how these moments feel from the inside. The rider said their robotaxi “blasted through cones,” was even chased by police, and sped up upon seeing flashing lights.
As a response, Waymo offered them three free rides, each worth up to $40. The company had already pulled all its vehicles from highway driving on May 19, the day after the San Francisco incidents, and is currently working on a fix, according to NHTSA filings. Its robotaxis are still running on surface streets, though.
Should you actually be worried about riding in a Waymo?
Waymo says its vehicles have driven autonomously for over 170 million miles. It also claims a 13x reduction in serious-injury crashes (compared to human drivers).
The company’s recalls are voluntary, meaning it’s catching, flagging, and trying to solve its own problems instead of waiting for the authorities to step in.
That said, the NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board are already investigating Waymo’s behavior around school buses following a January incident.
A sixth recall, while that investigation is still open, isn’t exactly great for a company planning to expand into 20+ cities this year.
