SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Waymo has issued a major software recall for nearly 4,000 autonomous vehicles following a series of dangerous construction-zone incidents, including a terrifying highway police chase involving trapped passengers.
‘It Went Through the Cones and Sped Up’
The recall comes after San Francisco resident Elliot Slade and his fiancée experienced a nightmare scenario on Highway 101 last month. According to Slade, their driverless Waymo taxi ignored flashing lights and “ROAD WORK AHEAD” signs, plowing directly into an active construction zone.
Instead of stopping, the autonomous vehicle accelerated through the cones. A nearby California Highway Patrol (CHP) cruiser witnessed the violation and gave chase, with the officer reportedly shouting for the vehicle to pull over.
“In that moment it’s like, ‘oh this technology is not ready,'” Slade said, recalling the panic of being in a vehicle being pursued by police with no steering wheel or driver to control. The car eventually exited into a residential neighborhood before the ordeal ended.
Massive Recall Following Multiple Failures
According to notices filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this was not an isolated event. Records show seven separate construction-zone incidents occurred on Bay Area roads in a single day last month.
In response, Waymo has recalled the software on approximately 4,000 of its vehicles. The company confirmed it has voluntarily restricted freeway access in the area while it works on improving how its system detects and processes temporary construction boundaries.
Growing Safety Concerns
This latest software failure adds to a growing list of federal investigations and safety complaints involving driverless robotaxis in California. Previous incidents include:
- An unprompted eight-lane turn with passengers inside.
- Violations involving school bus stop signs.
- An ongoing federal probe after a vehicle struck a child.
Transportation experts at UC Berkeley suggest the fix requires real-time data-sharing between local transit agencies and autonomous vehicle networks, ensuring cars are aware of construction zones well before reaching the physical cones.
