Zoox has recalled software across its fleet of 105 robotaxis after an autonomous vehicle encountered difficulties detecting and responding to a smoke-filled emergency scene, prompting safety concerns from U.S. regulators.
The Amazon-owned company voluntarily filed the software recall with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) following an incident involving one of its autonomous vehicles on June 20.
Fire Scene Incident Prompted Recall
According to an NHTSA safety recall report, an unoccupied Zoox robotaxi approached an active fire scene where heavy smoke obscured visibility before emergency personnel had established a traffic perimeter using cones.
The vehicle entered the area before braking sharply while attempting to steer away and eventually came to a stop.
A remote teleoperator then reversed the vehicle out of the emergency scene, allowing first responders to secure the area.
Zoox said it investigated the incident and identified the underlying cause before releasing a software update designed to improve the vehicle’s ability to recognize heavy smoke during emergency situations.
A company spokesperson said the updated software enhances the existing emergency scene detection system by enabling the vehicles to identify and respond to heavy smoke under certain operating conditions.
The company also implemented temporary operational measures immediately after initiating the recall to reduce the likelihood of vehicles entering active fire response areas.
Regulators Raise Safety Concerns
The recall was announced shortly before NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison issued a public letter urging autonomous vehicle developers to improve how self-driving systems respond to emergency incidents.
In the letter, Morrison said emergency scenes should not be treated as unusual operating scenarios.
“The inability to detect and appropriately respond to such situations represents a functional insufficiency.”
He added:
“Emergency scenes are not rare or extreme ‘edge cases.'”
Expansion Continues Despite Recalls
The latest software recall adds to several actions Zoox has taken over the past year involving autonomous driving performance, including issues related to hard braking, lane positioning and predicting the movement of nearby road users.
Despite the recalls, the company continues expanding its autonomous vehicle testing program.
Zoox currently offers public trial rides in parts of Las Vegas and San Francisco while conducting testing in Austin and Miami.
The company also recently unveiled an updated version of its purpose-built robotaxi, which has no steering wheel or pedals and is intended for future commercial deployment pending regulatory approval from NHTSA.
Source: EVMagz