Zoox recalls robotaxis following a crash in Las Vegas, attributing the action to a software update.

      Amazon's autonomous vehicle division, Zoox, has announced a voluntary safety recall following a minor accident involving one of its self-driving cars in Las Vegas. The incident, which took place in April 2025, prompted the company to investigate and identify a software flaw that affected the robotaxi's ability to predict another vehicle's trajectory. This recall impacts 270 vehicles built by Zoox and has been formally reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox noted that the issue has already been resolved with a software update that was remotely sent to its fleet.

      Zoox's robotaxis, which operate without traditional driving controls such as a steering wheel or pedals, represent Amazon's foray into the autonomous driving market. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle did not yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, resulting in a low-speed collision with a standard passenger vehicle. Although the damage was minimal, the incident raised concerns regarding the system’s performance in complex urban environments.

      Ensuring safety and reliability is crucial for the rollout of this relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet's Waymo remains at the forefront of the industry in terms of safety and operational scale, providing services in several cities, including Phoenix and San Francisco. Conversely, GM's Cruise and the Ford/VW-supported Argo AI have had to cease operations in recent years.

      Tesla is anticipated to join the robotaxi market with its own service launch planned for June 2025, utilizing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. Despite facing significant regulatory scrutiny in the past year, it is expected that safety regulations will become less strict under the Trump administration.

      Zoox, which was acquired by Amazon in 2020, stated that the recall was done voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s crucial for us to maintain transparency about our processes and the joint decisions we undertake,” the company expressed in a statement.

      

      Nick Godt has reported on global business news across three continents for more than 25 years.

      

      Waymo is expanding its robotaxi service area in San Francisco. The Alphabet-owned company made the announcement on Monday via a post on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter. This expansion allows more riders to use Waymo's driverless vehicles within a 47-square-mile zone of the city.

      

      In other news, the autonomous car company Cruise has been instructed by regulators to reduce its robotaxi fleet in San Francisco by half, following an accident involving a fire truck on Thursday, where a passenger in the driverless vehicle sustained minor injuries. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) stated that it is examining “recent concerning incidents” related to self-driving Cruise vehicles operating on public roads in the city.

      

      After six years of its autonomous truck initiative, Waymo has announced its intention to concentrate more on advancing its ridesharing goals with self-driving cars and minivans. The California-based company, part of Alphabet, stated its decision to temporarily set aside autonomous trucking is due to the “significant momentum and considerable commercial opportunity” it has observed with its pilot ridesharing service launched in Arizona in 2018 and expanded to several other states. Customers participating in the program can request a Waymo driverless car via an app in a manner similar to booking an Uber.