The Apple Car Is Dead, and Waymo Just Bought Its Gravesite
2026-06-09
Gizmodo
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Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous vehicle division, is recalling nearly 4,000 robotaxis in the U.S. after its AI driving system failed to properly detect and stop for flooded roads, leading to safety risks and at least one injury. The company is updating its software and restricting operations in high-risk areas.[AI generated]
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event involves AI systems explicitly, namely autonomous vehicle AI stacks used by Waymo. The software glitch affecting the self-driving stack is a malfunction that could cause vehicles to drive onto flooded roads, posing a direct risk of harm to passengers and others. The recall is a response to this malfunction, indicating that the AI system's failure has already led to a recognized safety hazard. Therefore, this qualifies as an AI Incident due to the direct link between the AI malfunction and potential harm, even if no accidents are reported yet. The acquisition of the test site and other contextual information do not negate the presence of this incident but provide background.[AI generated]