Waymo has announced its sixth recall following incidents where its robotaxis entered highway construction areas on 13 occasions.

      Waymo has announced its sixth recall, affecting nearly 4,000 robotaxis that drove into closed highway construction areas on at least 13 occasions across two cities. Six incidents took place in Phoenix in April, while seven occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area on one day in May. According to filings with the NHTSA, a solution is "currently under development."

      The vehicles ignored ramp closure signs, cones, and flashing lights, entering sections of freeway that were under active construction. Waymo explained to NHTSA that the software was "prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and/or failing to recognize the construction zone."

      One passenger shared a video on X showing a Waymo vehicle that "blasted through cones" while being pursued by police. The rider recounted, “There were construction signs, lights flashing, and police in the distance, and it sped up. That’s when I looked at my fiancée and thought, we’re done. This is it. We’re dead.” Waymo subsequently provided the rider with three complimentary rides, each valued up to $40.

      Waymo suspended all robotaxis from highway operations on May 19 and has yet to resume freeway service, although the vehicles continue to operate on local streets. The company voluntarily filed the recall with NHTSA on June 8, claiming it proactively informed state and federal regulators.

      This marks the second recall within just over a month. In May, Waymo recalled 3,791 robotaxis due to incidents involving flooded roads, an issue that a software update failed to resolve. Previous recalls addressed problems such as collisions with telephone poles, gates, and chains, improper behavior around school buses, and a crash involving a towed truck. There is also an ongoing NHTSA investigation into a January incident where a robotaxi hit a child near a school.

      Waymo states that its vehicles have traveled over 170 million miles autonomously and boasts a 13-fold reduction in serious injury or worse crashes compared to human drivers. The company plans to expand to over 20 cities this year, including London and Tokyo. It recently introduced a subscription tier priced at $29.99 per month aimed at its most frequent riders.

      However, this expansion is revealing edge cases faster than the software can manage. Highway construction zones are a common occurrence on American freeways. A robotaxi service that struggles to identify cones, closure signs, and flashing lights on a mapped highway is not ready for highway operations. Waymo began offering freeway rides in November 2025 but completely halted this feature just seven months later.

      Published June 18, 2026 - 1:22 pm UTC