Zoox issues software recall for level crossings

Amazon-owned Zoox issued a recall Tuesday over concerns its self-driving system allegedly caused vehicles to cross the centerline of the lane near intersections or block pedestrian crossings. The voluntary recall of its software affected 332 vehicles, according to the documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Although there have been no collisions associated with this issue, Zoox noted in the NHTSA filing that it could increase the risk of a crash. The company offers free rides to the public in its Zoox driverless vehicles in parts of San Francisco and Las Vegas.

A Zoox spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company identified some instances in which its vehicles performed maneuvers that, while common for human drivers, did not meet its standards. For example, to avoid blocking certain intersections at a red light, the robotaxi could stop at a pedestrian crossing. In other cases, the robotaxi made a late turn, resulting in a wide turn, according to a spokesperson’s emailed statement.

The problem was initially identified on Aug. 26 when a Zoox robotaxi made a wide right turn, crossed partially into the opposing lane of traffic and temporarily stopped in front of the oncoming lane of traffic, according to the NHTSA filing.

Zoox monitored its data to detect additional crossings near intersections, ultimately identifying 62 cases between August 26 and December 5. The company said in the filing that it is in “ongoing conversations with NHTSA regarding the frequency, severity and root causes of these events.”

The company updated its software on November 7 and again in mid-December to resolve all issues.

“We identified and successfully deployed targeted software enhancements to address the root causes of these incidents,” the statement said. “Today, we are submitting a voluntary software recall because transparency and security are fundamental to Zoox, and we want to be open with the public and regulators about how we are constantly refining and improving our technology.”

The software recall affected Zoox vehicles traveling on public roads between March 13 and December 18, according to the filing.

Zoox has issued several software recalls this year, including one in March to respond unexpected sudden braking. This recall followed a preliminary investigation by NHTSA which was opened after the agency received two reports of motorcyclists colliding with the rear of Zoox vehicles.

In May, Zoox filed two software recalls for address concerns on the system’s ability to predict the movement of other road users.