Waymo pauses highway operations due to road construction issues

Waymo has temporarily suspended its robotaxi service on highways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami. In a statement to TechCrunch, the company confirmed that this decision was made to improve navigation efficiency in road construction zones. Specialists are currently working on software updates, though robotaxis continue to operate normally on city streets. This is reported by Techcrunch.com .

The suspension of highway operations is an unexpected hurdle for Waymo. Previously, the company was forced to halt operations in Atlanta and San Antonio due to severe flooding. Last week, a software recall was announced to help vehicles avoid flood zones in San Antonio. In Atlanta, services were paused after at least one robotaxi was found stranded on the road.

These technical interruptions come as Waymo plans to expand its operations globally. The company aims to reach one million paid trips per week by the end of 2026. Additionally, Waymo is currently testing a new generation of robotaxis called Ojai, manufactured by Zeekr, and plans to begin service with these vehicles in the coming months.

High-speed highways are strategically important for Waymo, as they significantly reduce travel time to airports. For example, using the highway on the San Francisco Peninsula had reduced a one-hour trip to just a few dozen minutes. Although the company did not cite a specific incident, videos have circulated on social media showing Waymo vehicles hitting construction cones and being pulled over by police.