Lost Your Way-mo?

Alphabet’s Waymo, the robotaxi division, is facing yet another setback. The company has announced a recall of 3,800 self-driving taxis, as noted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.

The NHTSA is investigating a recent crash that led to the recall, which impacts vehicles equipped with Waymo’s fifth- and sixth-generation autonomous driving systems.

This recall stems from an incident on April 20, where a self-driving car collided with a flooded creek in San Antonio during bad weather and got swept away. Thankfully, no passengers were in the vehicle at the time, as reported by CNBC.

In another occurrence in Austin, a self-driving passenger vehicle was seen driving into a flooded road but came to a stop, while other drivers navigated around it.

While there were no reported injuries, these events have raised questions regarding the vehicles’ ability to handle floods and other natural disasters.

A Waymo representative mentioned that they are focused on reducing traffic accidents and have “identified improvements related to impassable flooded lanes that are particularly relevant to highways.”

“We are implementing additional software safeguards, enhancing our response to extreme weather during heavy rains, and introducing measures to limit access to areas prone to flash flooding,” the spokesperson added.

In response, Waymo is also adjusting its operational strategies to enhance safety against weather-related challenges and updating its maps, while working towards longer-term solutions.

These precautionary measures took effect on April 20, leading to a temporary suspension of robotaxi operations in San Antonio.

This isn’t the first time self-driving taxi services have encountered issues. Waymo operates in 11 U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Miami.

For instance, back in February, during heavy rain in Los Angeles, a Waymo vehicle was filmed struggling in floodwaters.

Additionally, in 2025, Waymo recalled over 1,200 vehicles because of a software bug that increased the risk of collisions with gates and other obstacles.

One particularly odd incident occurred this spring at San Jose Mineta International Airport, where a Waymo robotaxi inadvertently drove off with a passenger’s luggage, leaving them stranded without essentials ahead of their flight to San Diego.

“I don’t have any luggage or clothes to change into, and all my work notes are in there,” expressed the frustrated traveler, Di Jin.