First Waymo Recall Follows Crash of Self-Driving Cars --- Alphabet unit plans software fix after two of its vehicles hit pickup being towed

"Self-driving-car company Waymo issued its first-ever recall over a software issue after two of its cars in Phoenix collided with a pickup truck being towed backward.

Alphabet-owned Waymo said it voluntarily recalled software used in its cars after two of its vehicles in Arizona hit the truck on Dec. 11. The company said it has since updated the software in its fleet which didn't interrupt its ride-hailing service.

Waymo has largely avoided the trouble plaguing the self-driving car business. General Motors-owned Cruise, another leader in the industry, pulled its cars off the road and is under federal investigation after one of its autonomous vehicles last year dragged a pedestrian in San Francisco about 20 feet.

Other companies in the industry are under increased scrutiny over whether their cars are equipped for any situation on the road.

In San Francisco, where some residents ride-hail robotaxis, the fire department said people surrounded a Waymo vehicle this month and set it on fire.

Waymo, which has a fleet of roughly 700 autonomous vehicles, said Tuesday that it is committed to safety. The company said it notified the city police and Arizona public-safety officials the day of the Phoenix crashes. Waymo said the collisions caused minor vehicle damage and no one was injured.

Two Waymo vehicles crashed a few minutes apart into the pickup truck while it was being towed across a center turn lane and a traffic lane, the company said. Waymo said its vehicles incorrectly predicted how the pickup truck and the tow truck would move. The company said it has since updated its software to address the issue.

Waymo, based in Mountain View, Calif., said it filed its recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The company declined to comment beyond its Tuesday statement about the crashes. The NHTSA didn't return a request for comment Wednesday.

Waymo said it has done research showing that its autonomous vehicles are involved in a lower rate of crashes compared to human drivers. 

The company said it has completed more than a million ride-hail trips." [1]

1. Business News: First Waymo Recall Follows Crash of Self-Driving Cars --- Alphabet unit plans software fix after two of its vehicles hit pickup being towed. Lukpat, Alyssa.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 15 Feb 2024: B.3.