Waymo resumes San Antonio robotaxi service five months after flooding incident

Waymo has resumed its driverless robotaxi service in San Antonio, Texas, roughly five months after one of its vehicles was swept away during a flash flood in April. Multiple Waymo vehicles became stuck in the heavy flooding at the time, with cars slowing down but not stopping as they approached waterlogged streets.

Following the incident, Waymo issued a recall in May and imposed restrictions preventing its robotaxis from operating in areas with an elevated risk of flooding. Around the same period, the company briefly paused service in other Texas cities as well, though those operations have since resumed.

Expanded coverage

Waymo currently offers paid rides in 15 U.S. cities. The relaunched San Antonio service will use dozens of vehicles covering a roughly 60-mile area, including downtown and San Antonio International Airport. The San Antonio Express-News was first to report that Waymo had restarted operations in the city.

Waymo told the newspaper that it has made software changes intended to help its robotaxis better detect and avoid standing water going forward.