Waymo suspends robotaxi service in Dallas
DALLAS - Waymo has reportedly suspended its robotaxi services in Dallas and other Texas cities because of weather safety concerns.
What we know:
According to a Waymo spokesperson, highway and surface street service in Texas, including in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, has been suspended.
"We are committed to being good neighbors for our riders and our communities. As part of that commitment, we make proactive decisions, including temporarily pausing aspects of our service. We know riders count on us to get around, and we appreciate their patience as we work to get them where they’re going safely and reliably," the company said in a statement.
The spokesperson pointed to recent severe storms in the southern United States, including Atlanta and Nashville, that have led to flash floods and weather-related safety concerns. Waymo is working to make improvements to its technology related to those concerns.
Waymo is still offering full service in other states, the spokesperson said.
Dig deeper:
Waymo launched robotaxi service in Dallas in February. And while the expansion was exciting for fans of the driverless technology, others had concerns because of a string of incidents across Texas and other states.
In Austin, police reported that robotaxis failed to follow hand signals from officers and drove around barricades into closed construction zones. Additionally, Austin ISD released several videos showing Waymo vehicles illegally passing school buses while their red lights were flashing and stop arms were deployed.
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Federal investigators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed they are analyzing at least 16 crashes involving autonomous vehicles in Texas.
They are also investigating an incident in Santa Monica, California where a Waymo vehicle allegedly failed to use caution in a school zone and struck a child. That child reportedly suffered minor injuries.
Waymo filed for a voluntary software recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration related to extreme weather operations. The move comes after a Waymo entered a flooded lane in San Antonio during extreme weather. The vehicle was empty and there were no injuries.
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Earlier this month, video from a FOX 4 viewer showed a Waymo robotaxi running a red light at a busy Dallas intersection. Fortunately, nearby drivers managed to avoid a collision and no one was hurt.
In a statement to FOX 4, Waymo claimed the traffic light was "heavily dimmed" when viewed from the right-turn lane. The company said it was actively taking steps to address the issue.
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"Safety is our highest priority at Waymo—for our riders and everyone with whom we share the road," Waymo said in a statement.
What we don't know:
It’s not yet clear if or when the service in Texas will return.
The company said service will only resume once conditions are safe to do so.
The Source: FOX 4 gathered information for this story by talking to a spokesperson for Waymo on Friday. Other details are from past news coverage.