Zoox Faces Second Robotaxi Software Recall in a Month After Collision Incidents

Zoox, the autonomous vehicle upstart acquired by Amazon, has been in the news again. It just signaled its second recall of software in a month due to issues with its autonomous driving system. This latest recall is the result of two close calls where motorcyclists crashed into the rear of Zoox test vehicles. These recent collisions have collectively been enough to shake public confidence in the reliability of the company’s self-driving technology.

The newest recall will include about 270 vehicles, with an earlier recall of 258 vehicles occurring in March. In March, that was the leading factor in a recall that was initiated after a crash in Las Vegas between a Zoox robotaxi and a passenger vehicle. This crash brought national scrutiny onto the software’s failure to predict the movement of other road users.

According to a statement from Zoox, “The Zoox vehicle was stopped at the time of contact. The e-scooterist fell to the ground directly next to the vehicle. The robotaxi then began to move and stopped after completing the turn, but did not make further contact with the e-scooterist.”

Both recalls are for defects that may result in surprise unexpected hard braking. Not only does this condition create risk to vehicles and pedestrians in the nearby environment, the company has been working hard to mitigate these concerns as it moves forward testing its autonomous fleet.

His rider died at the scene, while the Zoox machines remained stationed and unmoving. This too reinforces the urgent need to improve the self-driving software. The Las Vegas incident that occurred just weeks before this latest crash has put the company in the spotlight. Now they’re calling it out on wide-ranging safety violations and how well—or not—it runs its trains.

Zoox has committed itself to ensuring that its autonomous driving technology meets safety standards and effectively navigates complex urban environments. Recent events shed light on the pressures that developers in the AV space face. They are working incredibly hard to create the most reliable and safest self-driving systems possible.