Overview
- NHTSA, which posted the notice Tuesday, said the recall covers vehicles running Waymo’s fifth- and sixth‑generation automated driving software.
- Waymo traced the issue to April 20 in San Antonio, when an unoccupied car detected deep water on a 40 mph road, continued at low speed, and was swept into Salado Creek.
- Waymo imposed interim limits by tightening weather rules and updating maps, and it paused San Antonio service that the company said Tuesday had restarted after its longest shutdown there.
- The company is developing a permanent over‑the‑air software fix and has already pushed temporary updates so vehicles avoid high‑speed flooded areas without visiting service centers.
- The action follows several recent safety steps and probes involving Waymo, including a federal investigation after a child was struck in Santa Monica and scrutiny over illegal passes of stopped school buses.