Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Waymo Issues Recall After San Antonio Robotaxi Incident

Waymo is recalling its robotaxis in the United States. This decision follows an incident in San Antonio, where one of their self-driving cars was swept away by floodwaters. The recall affects 3,791 vehicles and is due to a severe weather event on April 20.

Although the vehicle detected the flooding, it drove into the water slowly. Waymo said it is adding new software to improve safety in bad weather. The company is also restricting access to areas that often flood. Thankfully, the vehicle was empty, and there were no injuries during the incident.

In response to the flooding, Waymo paused services in San Antonio, a city that sometimes faces flooding problems. They have now restarted some operations but are not picking up passengers yet. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also making sure Waymo adjusts its service maps to avoid risky weather conditions.

This was not the first problem for Waymo in San Antonio. Just two weeks earlier, another vehicle had to be removed from high water. The company has faced scrutiny over various safety issues, including incidents with children and school buses. Waymo operates its services in 11 U.S. cities, including Austin and Dallas.

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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

recalling/rɪˈkɔlɪŋ/verb
to officially ask to return a product

robotaxis/ˌroʊbəˈtæksɪz/noun
cars that drive themselves to carry people

floodwaters/ˈflʌdwɔtərz/noun
water that covers land after heavy rain

detected/dɪˈtɛktɪd/verb
saw or noticed something was present

restricting/rɪˈstrɪktɪŋ/verb
limiting who can go into an area

scrutiny/ˈskruːtəni/noun
careful and close watching or checking

How much do you know?

How many vehicles is Waymo recalling?
2,000
3,791
5,000
1,500
What weather event caused the recall of Waymo's robotaxis?
Heavy snow
Flooding
Severe winds
Hailstorm
In which city did the incident occur that led to the recall?
Austin
Dallas
San Antonio
Houston
What is Waymo planning to add to improve safety in bad weather?
New hardware
New drivers
New software
New vehicles
How has Waymo responded to the flooding incidents?
Increased the number of robotaxis
Paused services in San Antonio
Opened more locations
Lowered fares
How many U.S. cities does Waymo operate its services in?
5
8
11
15
Waymo's robotaxi was occupied during the flooding incident.
The NHTSA is involved in ensuring Waymo adjusts its service maps.
Waymo has not encountered any safety issues in San Antonio before.
Waymo is currently picking up passengers in San Antonio again.
Waymo operates in both Austin and Dallas.
The self-driving car drove away quickly into the floodwaters.
The recall affects 3,791 vehicles due to a severe weather event on April 20, and it was a result of .
Waymo paused services in , a city that sometimes faces flooding problems.
Waymo is restricting access to areas that often .
The vehicle detected the flooding but drove into the water .
Waymo operates its services in U.S. cities.
The company has faced scrutiny over various safety issues, including incidents with and school buses.
This question is required

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
recalling/rɪˈkɔlɪŋ/verb
to officially ask to return a product
robotaxis/ˌroʊbəˈtæksɪz/noun
cars that drive themselves to carry people
floodwaters/ˈflʌdwɔtərz/noun
water that covers land after heavy rain
detected/dɪˈtɛktɪd/verb
saw or noticed something was present
restricting/rɪˈstrɪktɪŋ/verb
limiting who can go into an area
scrutiny/ˈskruːtəni/noun
careful and close watching or checking

How much do you know?

How many vehicles is Waymo recalling?
2,000
3,791
5,000
1,500
What weather event caused the recall of Waymo's robotaxis?
Heavy snow
Flooding
Severe winds
Hailstorm
In which city did the incident occur that led to the recall?
Austin
Dallas
San Antonio
Houston
What is Waymo planning to add to improve safety in bad weather?
New hardware
New drivers
New software
New vehicles
How has Waymo responded to the flooding incidents?
Increased the number of robotaxis
Paused services in San Antonio
Opened more locations
Lowered fares
How many U.S. cities does Waymo operate its services in?
5
8
11
15
Waymo's robotaxi was occupied during the flooding incident.
The NHTSA is involved in ensuring Waymo adjusts its service maps.
Waymo has not encountered any safety issues in San Antonio before.
Waymo is currently picking up passengers in San Antonio again.
Waymo operates in both Austin and Dallas.
The self-driving car drove away quickly into the floodwaters.
The recall affects 3,791 vehicles due to a severe weather event on April 20, and it was a result of .
Waymo paused services in , a city that sometimes faces flooding problems.
Waymo is restricting access to areas that often .
The vehicle detected the flooding but drove into the water .
Waymo operates its services in U.S. cities.
The company has faced scrutiny over various safety issues, including incidents with and school buses.
This question is required

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