Google-backed driverless taxi firm Waymo has recalled software across its entire fleet following an unusual pair of crashes in December. Two of its vehicles managed to hit the same truck just minutes apart, in different locations. While the circumstances aren't as damning as they sound and Waymo handled the incident responsibly, the news couldn't come at a worse time for the increasingly scrutinized autonomous vehicle industry.
Waymo announced Tuesday on its blog that it had voluntarily filed a recall notice with the NHTSA in response to incidents that occurred in Phoenix, Arizona on December 11, 2023. The company says one of its vehicles encountered a tow truck improperly pulling a pickup, which was facing rearward and askew across a center turn lane and regular traffic lane. The Waymo AV misinterpreted the conjoined vehicles' direction of travel and hit the pickup, taking minor damage, though the tow truck reportedly fled the scene.
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