Waymo recalls thousands of vehicles after Phoenix highway construction zone incidents

Waymo is addressing safety lapses after autonomous vehicles entered highway construction zones in Phoenix and San Francisco, prompting a large software recall. The company says more than 3,800 vehicles have been identified for safety upgrades aimed at improving performance around construction zones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Safety Recall Report. The incidents included a Waymo AV driving past ramp closure signs and entering pre‑planned freeway work zones in Phoenix on April 11, followed by five additional Phoenix events on April 19. Arizona’s Department of Transportation confirmed the Phoenix episodes occurred on SR 51 during a pavement rehabilitation project.

Waymo’s Field Safety Committee began reviewing the events the day after the April 19 incidents, and the company said it voluntarily filed a software recall with NHTSA and paused freeway operations last month while it implemented improvements. Seven incidents on May 19 in the San Francisco Bay Area showed Waymo AVs inappropriately prioritizing the avoidance of other hazards or failing to recognize the construction zone, according to the report. The company emphasized it continues to serve riders on surface streets and to cooperate with regulators as it advances safety upgrades. Waymo previously began freeway testing late last year and has since restricted high‑speed routes during the recall.