KRON4 – Zoox recalls fleet after robotaxi enters smoky emergency scene
Editors note: Finally, a story not about a Waymo screwing up! And a recall of the entire fleet! So soon!
See original article by Ryan Mense at KRON4
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The entire Zoox robotaxi fleet was voluntarily recalled this month after an incident in which one of its driverless cars entered an active emergency scene obscured by heavy smoke, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.
The safety recall report stated that “in certain situations, the software may not detect and respond to heavy smoke, particularly in active emergency scenes” and poses the risk of a crash or can impede first responders. All 105 Zoox robotaxis that operate on public roads were impacted by the defect in its automated driving system.
The recall was sparked by one incident that occurred on June 20. According to the NHTSA report, an unoccupied Zoox robotaxi “encountered heavy smoke that obscured an active emergency fire scene that was not cordoned off with cones. The Zoox vehicle entered the scene, then braked hard while attempting to steer away before coming to a stop.” A Zoox employee was able to guide the autonomous vehicle out of the way.
The report did not state where the June incident happened. Zoox said it was the only instance of this situation occurring.
On Wednesday, Zoox released a software update addressing the safety issue. The Amazon-owned company said it will continue to monitor the field performance of its robotaxis.
Zoox is headquartered in Foster City. It currently operates robotaxis in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
See original article by Ryan Mense at KRON4
