A fleet of Waymo robotaxis has been recalled after one vehicle was swept into a creek in Arizona, triggering a cross-border investigation by UK regulators. Sources confirm that over 2,000 units of the self-driving Jaguar I-Pace models were pulled back after a bizarre incident where a vehicle navigated itself into floodwaters, forcing a passenger to be rescued by emergency services.
The recall, issued by Alphabet subsidiary Waymo, covers software updates to prevent similar mishaps. But the UK's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) has launched its own inquiry into whether the same failure mode could affect British roads. Documents obtained by this newsroom show CCAV officials requested data from Waymo within hours of the incident.
“This is more than a glitch,” said a senior transport safety expert who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It raises questions about how autonomous systems handle environmental extremes. If a car cannot tell the difference between a road and a creek, what happens on a flooded British country lane?”
The incident occurred on 14 March near Tempe, Arizona, when a Waymo with a single passenger drove into a rain-swollen wash. The passenger was rescued by fire crews. Waymo’s internal investigation blamed “an anomaly in the vehicle’s perception system” but insisted the flaw was unique to that environment.
Yet the UK regulator isn’t buying it. Internal emails, seen by this newsroom, reveal CCAV officials demanding details of Waymo’s hazard perception protocols. The UK government has been pushing for wider adoption of autonomous vehicles, with a legal framework expected later this year. This recall could slow those plans.
“Every time a robotaxi does something stupid, it sets back public trust,” said a former Transport Department advisor who now works for a rival autonomous firm. “This is a cash-burning industry. They cannot afford these embarrassments.”
Waymo has not disclosed the cost of the recall. But sources estimate the software patch and logistics could run into tens of millions. The company also faces potential lawsuits from the passenger and liability claims.
The recall affects vehicles operating in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. None are in the UK yet, but Waymo has been testing on British roads under a government-supported pilot. Those tests are now under scrutiny.
Labour MP and transport committee chair Lucy Powell said she would seek a parliamentary debate. “We must ensure that before any fully driverless cars are let loose on our streets, they are safe. This recall shows even the biggest players have blind spots.”
This is not the first black eye for Waymo. In 2022, a robotaxi caused a pile-up in San Francisco. Last year, hundreds of vehicles were recalled for a software bug that made them stall. But a vehicle driving into water is a new low.
CCAV has not yet ordered a formal recall. But a spokesperson said: “We are in close contact with Waymo and US regulators to understand the technical failure and ensure UK safety standards are met.”
For now, the robotaxis keep rolling. But the question lingers: if a machine cannot spot a creek, can it be trusted with lives? The countdown to the next scandal has begun.
