Waymo issues OTA software fix for 3,791 robotaxis after one drove into a flooded San Antonio road. No injuries reported.

• Waymo recalled 3,791 robotaxis after one vehicle drove into a flooded road in San Antonio last month — NHTSA documents.

• The recall involves an over-the-air (OTA) software update for its entire fleet — Waymo.

• No injuries were reported in the San Antonio incident where a robotaxi was swept into Salado Creek — NHTSA documents.

• Waymo paused all San Antonio operations following the April 20 incident — Electrek report.

Waymo recalled 3,791 robotaxis after one vehicle drove into a flooded road in San Antonio last month, according to documents posted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.

The recall is a software fix deployed over the air to Waymo's entire fleet, the company stated. No vehicles needed to visit a service center, Waymo added.

The incident occurred on April 20 in San Antonio when an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi encountered "an untraversable flooded section of a roadway," NHTSA documents showed. The vehicle proceeded into the floodwater at a reduced speed, those documents indicated.

The robotaxi was ultimately swept into Salado Creek, according to NHTSA documents. No passengers were on board, and no injuries were reported, the documents added.

The car had to be recovered from the waterway days later, NHTSA documents stated. A second, earlier flood-related incident also occurred near McCullough Avenue and Contour Drive in San Antonio approximately two weeks prior, the documents showed.

Waymo filed the voluntary recall with NHTSA on April 30, an Electrek report stated. The company paused all San Antonio operations following the April 20 incident, the report added.

This marked Waymo's longest service stoppage in the city to date, according to the Electrek report. The recall affects vehicles equipped with both fifth- and sixth-generation automated driving systems, that report added.

The affected vehicles operate across all of Waymo's operating cities, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, San Antonio, and Atlanta, the Electrek report stated.

3,791 Waymo robotaxis were recalled over the software issue, according to NHTSA documents.

Background

Waymo expects to resume San Antonio service this week, an Electrek report said. The company reviewed its flood monitoring procedures and safety protocols, the report added.

Waymo identified "an area of improvement regarding untraversable flooded lanes specific to higher-speed roadways," the company stated. It is working to implement additional software safeguards, Waymo added.

These safeguards include refining "extreme weather operations," Waymo said. They also involve limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur, the company added.

NHTSA described Waymo's interim response as a temporary tightening of operational boundaries. This included new weather-related constraints and map revisions, the administration stated. Engineers are working toward the full software fix, NHTSA added.

Waymo has followed this pattern before, an Electrek report indicated. The company previously filed a voluntary recall and pushed an OTA software update after its vehicles were caught illegally passing stopped school buses, the report stated.

These incidents occurred in Austin and Atlanta late last year, according to the Electrek report. The completion rate for Waymo's virtual recalls approaches 100%, the report added. This is because Waymo directly controls and operates every vehicle in its fleet, the report explained.

What's next

The recall filing inadvertently served as a census of Waymo's operations, an Electrek report indicated. The total of 3,791 affected vehicles confirmed significant fleet growth, the report stated.

Waymo's fleet has nearly doubled in roughly eight months, according to the Electrek report. The company did not publicly acknowledge crossing the 2,000-vehicle threshold until September 2025, the report added.

This growth aligns with Waymo's $16 billion funding round earlier this year, an Electrek report stated. The company received a $126 billion valuation, the report added.

Waymo currently delivers 500,000 paid robotaxi rides per week across 10 U.S. cities, an Electrek report stated.

The Alphabet-owned company delivers 500,000 paid robotaxi rides per week, according to the Electrek report. This service is across 10 U.S. cities, the report added. Waymo is targeting 1 million weekly rides by year-end, the report stated.

Frequently asked questions

Why did Waymo recall its robotaxis?

Waymo recalled 3,791 robotaxis after one of its vehicles drove into a flooded road in San Antonio, Texas, last month. The recall aims to prevent similar incidents by updating the software.

How many Waymo robotaxis are affected by the recall?

The recall affects 3,791 Waymo robotaxis currently in service.

What kind of fix is Waymo implementing?

Waymo is deploying an over-the-air (OTA) software update to its entire fleet to address the issue.

Were there any injuries in the San Antonio incident?

No injuries were reported in the San Antonio incident where a robotaxi was swept into Salado Creek.

Has Waymo stopped operations in San Antonio?

Yes, Waymo paused all San Antonio operations following the April 20 incident involving the flooded road.

Who is involved in overseeing this recall?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) documents confirm and detail the Waymo recall.