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Incident · Recall

Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis (NHTSA 26E035) after vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones at speed

Waymo filed a voluntary safety recall (NHTSA 26E035) covering 3,871 5th Generation ADS-equipped robotaxis after vehicles failed to recognize ramp closure signs and drove into active freeway construction zones in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area between April 11 and May 18, 2026. The defect causes the AV to inappropriately prioritize avoiding other freeway hazards over recognizing the construction zone, increasing collision risk.

Waymo imposed freeway driving restrictions pending a software remedy. This is Waymo's second recall in just over a month, following the flooded-roadway recall (26E026) in May.

Occurred 2026-06-17 · Waymo Driver (6th gen) at Sacramento, California, USA · Waymo · Sacramento, California, USA · Robotaxis · Investigated by NHTSA

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Incident records on DEPLOY are compiled from public sources (regulatory filings, news reports, and operator disclosures) and reflect what has been reported and tracked to date. They are not legal findings, determinations of fault, or safety ratings, and may be updated as new information is verified. See the sources below for the underlying references.
Track Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis (NHTSA 26E035) after vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones at speed

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Sources (1)

  1. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2026/RCLRPT-26E035-7637.pdf

Status history

  • Active · 2026-07-07 · agent:depth

Common questions

What happened in Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis (NHTSA 26E035) after vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones at speed?
Waymo filed a voluntary safety recall (NHTSA 26E035) covering 3,871 5th Generation ADS-equipped robotaxis after vehicles failed to recognize ramp closure signs and drove into active freeway construction zones in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area between April 11 and May 18, 2026. The defect causes the AV to inappropriately prioritize avoiding other freeway hazards over recognizing the construction zone, increasing collision risk. Waymo imposed freeway driving restrictions pending a software remedy. This is Waymo's second recall in just over a month, following the flooded-roadway recall (26E026) in May.
When did this incident occur?
The incident is recorded as occurring on June 17, 2026 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.
What robot was involved in Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis (NHTSA 26E035) after vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones at speed?
Waymo Driver (6th gen) by Waymo is the recorded robot involved in this incident at Sacramento, California, USA.
Has anyone responded to Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis (NHTSA 26E035) after vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones at speed?
No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.
What is the current status of Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis (NHTSA 26E035) after vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones at speed?
This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (1 primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-14

Verification posture

Verified

High confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Sources by quality tier

1
primary-regulatory-filing
Regulatory filing

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Waymo recalls 3,871 robotaxis (NHTSA 26E035) after vehicles drove into closed freeway construction zones at speed.

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Canonical ID 3912cda9-efef-48ee-a8b7-43db84d646ee