Two Waymo robotaxis hit the same towed pickup truck in Phoenix
Two driverless Waymo vehicles struck the same pickup truck, which was being towed backward at an angle, minutes apart in Phoenix on December 11, 2023. Waymo later recalled software.
Key facts
- On December 11, 2023, two Waymo robotaxis in Phoenix hit the same pickup truck, which was being towed backward at an angle, within minutes of each other.
- Neither Waymo vehicle was carrying riders, and no injuries were reported.
- Waymo said its software incorrectly predicted the future motion of the towed vehicle.
- Recall 24E-013 covered 444 Waymo vehicles and was the company's first recall.
- Waymo completed the software fix by January 12, 2024, before the recall was filed.
What happened
On December 11, 2023, a Waymo robotaxi driving in Phoenix made contact with a pickup truck that was being pulled by a tow truck. The pickup was being towed backward and at a persistent angle, so that it was not tracking directly behind the tow truck. CNN reported that the pickup’s front end sat partly in a turn lane next to the tow truck’s lane.
The tow truck kept driving after the first contact. A few minutes later a second Waymo robotaxi struck the same towed pickup. Neither Waymo vehicle had riders on board. CNBC reported that the collisions caused minor vehicle damage and no injuries.
The system involved
Both vehicles were Waymo robotaxis from the company’s Jaguar I-Pace fleet, running Waymo’s 5th Generation Automated Driving System in driverless ride-hail service. Waymo told NHTSA that when a towed vehicle’s rear axle had a significant steering angle, so that it sat at a persistent angle and did not follow the towing vehicle’s path, the software could incorrectly predict where the towed vehicle would go.
Investigation and response
Waymo reported the collisions to police and regulators and discussed them with NHTSA on December 20, 2023, and on three dates in January and February 2024. It developed a software update and installed it across the affected fleet between December 20, 2023, and January 12, 2024, when vehicles returned to depots.
After those discussions, Waymo filed a Part 573 recall report with NHTSA on February 13, 2024, covering 444 vehicles that had run the earlier software. Waymo said the voluntary recall reflected how seriously it took its responsibility to deploy its technology safely. CNBC reported it was the first recall by Alphabet’s self-driving unit.
Outcomes
- Waymo updated the software on all affected vehicles between December 20, 2023, and January 12, 2024.
- On February 13, 2024, Waymo filed recall 24E-013 covering 444 vehicles, the company's first recall.
Sources
- Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24E-013NHTSA, February 13, 2024
- Waymo issues a voluntary recall on its self-driving vehicle softwareCNBC, February 13, 2024
- Waymo recalls software after two self-driving cars hit the same truckCNN via ABC15 Arizona