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Waymo Pauses Freeway Robotaxi Service for Software Update

5/23/2026

Summary

Waymo Pauses Robotaxi

Waymo is pausing its robotaxi services on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Miami to update software for construction zones and flooded roads.
Street-level and other off-highway operations will continue during the suspension.
Waymo confirmed to Reuters that the pause is temporary, that it will integrate recent technical learnings and expects to resume service soon.
A collision involving a Waymo vehicle occurred recently in the city of Wayne.

Summary

Waymo Recalls Robotaxis

Waymo voluntarily recalled nearly 3,800 robotaxis equipped with its fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving systems.
The recall follows a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration letter warning that the software could let vehicles drive into standing water on roads.
Waymo paused robotaxi operations in five U.S. cities as an abundance of caution while adding additional software safeguards.
Waymo confirmed it will launch its first overseas commercial robotaxi service in London in 2026.

Summary

Uber Suspends Waymo

Uber Technologies Inc. suspended its partnership with Waymo in Atlanta after the robotaxi service was halted.
The suspension followed a Wednesday incident where an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi entered flood water, raising safety concerns.
Waymo’s move occurs as Tesla Inc. and Amazon.com Inc.’s autonomous-vehicle unit Zoox accelerate deployments, intensifying U.S. robotaxi competition.
Street-level operations continue in Waymo’s U.S. cities while software upgrades are implemented, preserving a limited footprint.

Summary

Waymo Targets 1M rides

Waymo aims for over 1 million paid rides weekly by 2026, double its current 500,000 trips.
The firm logged 170 million miles and says collisions occur 13 times less often than human drivers.
Waymo began testing a Chinese-made Zeekr Ojai in Los Angeles with its Jaguar SUVs.
A 2025 defect triggered the recall of 1,200 vehicles and prompted Waymo to pause operations on freeways in Texas, Tennessee and Georgia after flash floods.

History

Historical Context

In 2009, the DARPA Grand Challenge spurred autonomous-vehicle development, culminating in Stanford’s “Stanley” winning the $2 million prize in Nevada’s desert. Google recruited the winning team, investing $100 million by 2012 and launching its self-driving car fleet across Mountain View, California, later expanding testing to San Francisco. Today Waymo’s 2024 freeway pause mirrors the 2016 California Highway Patrol directive that halted early robotaxi trials after flood-related sensor failures. The precedent warns regulators that recurring water-intrusion bugs could delay autonomous expansion, prompting stricter NHTSA oversight and industry-wide safety audits.

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Waymo Pauses Robotaxi

Waymo is pausing its robotaxi services on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Miami to update software for construction zones and flooded roads.
Street-level and other off-highway operations will continue during the suspension.
Waymo confirmed to Reuters that the pause is temporary, that it will integrate recent technical learnings and expects to resume service soon.
A collision involving a Waymo vehicle occurred recently in the city of Wayne.

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