Waymo suspends freeway robotaxi service after flood incidents

Alphabet's Waymo has suspended its robotaxi service on freeways and paused operations in multiple U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, after the autonomous vehicles struggled to navigate heavy rain and flooded roadways. The company confirmed an unoccupied Waymo vehicle encountered a flooded road during intense rain in Atlanta and stopped, prompting the suspension through its partnership with Uber. The move follows a recall of approximately 3,800 Waymo robotaxis earlier this month after the company identified a risk that vehicles could enter flooded roads at higher speed limits, raising safety concerns. Waymo said it is evaluating and improving performance around certain types of construction zones and flooded conditions, with street operations remaining unaffected while freeway routes are suspended. "Safety is Waymo's top priority, both for our riders and everyone we share the road with," a company spokesperson stated, adding that recent technical learnings are being integrated into the software and freeway operations are expected to resume soon. The suspensions come as Waymo has been expanding its robotaxi operation, with freeways previously available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami. Despite challenges in the United States, Waymo is currently testing its driverless taxi service in London ahead of a planned public rollout from September, pending approval from Transport for London. The UK Department for Transport has begun accepting applications for self-driving taxi services, noting their potential to significantly reduce accidents and offer independent travel for disabled and older adults. Competitors including London-based startup Wayve, Chinese firm Baidu, and U.S. giant Uber have also signaled interest in launching autonomous taxi services in the UK market.