Waymo restarts San Antonio service 5 months after flooding troubles
News Source
β’Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:30:30 +0000
π° What Happened
Waymo has restarted its robotaxi service in San Antonio, Texas. The company stopped rides there five months ago after one of its cars was swept away in a flash flood. Several Waymo cars got stuck during the heavy flooding in April.
The cars slowed down but did not stop as they reached flooded streets. Waymo recalled the vehicles in May and blocked them from driving in places at high risk of flooding. The company now offers paid rides in 15 US cities.
π The Backstory
Waymo is owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google. It has run driverless taxis for years and is the largest robotaxi company in the United States. Other firms working on self-driving cars have had their own safety problems.
Driverless cars use cameras, radar and maps to read the road. Standing water is hard for them to judge, because it hides how deep it goes. The San Antonio service will use dozens of cars across a 60-mile area that includes the airport.
π― Why It Matters
Robotaxis are coming to more cities. This case shows what still needs fixing before people trust a car with nobody in the driverβs seat.
Waymo has restarted its robotaxi service in San Antonio, Texas. The company stopped rides there five months ago after one of its cars was swept away in a flash flood. Several Waymo cars got stuck during the heavy flooding in April.
The cars slowed down but did not stop as they reached flooded streets. Waymo recalled the vehicles in May and blocked them from driving in places at high risk of flooding. The company now offers paid rides in 15 US cities.
Waymo is owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google. It has run driverless taxis for years and is the largest robotaxi company in the United States. Other firms working on self-driving cars have had their own safety problems.
Driverless cars use cameras, radar and maps to read the road. Standing water is hard for them to judge, because it hides how deep it goes. The San Antonio service will use dozens of cars across a 60-mile area that includes the airport.
Robotaxis are coming to more cities. This case shows what still needs fixing before people trust a car with nobody in the driverβs seat.