Waymo LLC is recalling 3,871 vehicles equipped with its fifth-generation Automated Driving System (ADS) after determining the software can allow a driverless vehicle to enter and drive at speed through a closed freeway construction zone. The recall carries an estimated 100% defect rate and covers ADS units produced between March 17, 2022, and May 19, 2026, according to a Part 573 safety recall report filed this week with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Waymo’s filing attributes the behavior to the ADS inappropriately prioritizing the avoidance of other freeway hazards and, in some cases, failing to recognize the construction zone.
Highlights
- The recall covers 3,871 fifth-generation ADS units at an estimated 100% defect rate; Waymo owns and operates every affected vehicle.
- The defect can cause a driverless vehicle to enter and drive at speed through a closed freeway construction zone, which Waymo’s filing says increases the potential for collisions.
- The action follows 13 documented events — six in Phoenix in April and seven in the San Francisco Bay Area on May 18, 2026.
- The remedy is a software update still under development; Waymo restricted freeway driving across the fleet as an interim measure.
How the Defect Behaves
Under certain circumstances, an affected vehicle may enter and continue driving at speed within a freeway construction zone, according to Waymo’s filing. The recall applies only to fifth-generation Automated Driving System units capable of driverless freeway operation; units without that capability are excluded. Waymo states the risk directly: driving at speed through a closed construction zone increases the potential for collisions.
The Incidents That Triggered the Recall
The recall traces to a cluster of events across two metro areas earlier this year.
| Date | Location | Vehicles Involved | What Happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 11 & 19, 2026 | Phoenix, AZ | 6 events | AVs failed to recognize and drove past ramp-closure signs into pre-planned freeway construction zones |
| May 18, 2026 | San Francisco Bay Area | 7 vehicles | AVs entered active-construction freeway lanes by driving between cones marking the adjacent lane closure |
After the Phoenix events, Waymo’s Field Safety Committee began a series of meetings on April 20, 2026 and imposed freeway driving restrictions while it added improved awareness and response to freeway closures. The committee met again on May 19, 2026, following the Bay Area incidents, and held the restrictions in place until the root causes could be identified and addressed. Waymo’s Safety Board reviewed the issue on June 1, 2026, requested additional information on ADS performance around construction zones, and decided to conduct the recall on June 8, 2026.
Remedy and Fleet Restrictions
The remedy is a software update that remains under development. The planned fix combines software improvements that help the ADS avoid entering a construction zone and detect when a vehicle is already inside one, along with additional operational protocols. In the interim, Waymo modified the scope of its operations to restrict freeway driving across the fleet, and it will apply the eventual remedy at no charge.
Because Waymo owns all affected vehicles, the company will deploy the fix directly. The filing notes there is no need to notify owners, dealers, or distributors under the federal owner-notification requirements (49 CFR Part 577), and Waymo plans to update the filing once a remedy is deployed.
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