Zoox, a company owned by Amazon, issued a voluntary software recall on Tuesday. The recall addresses concerns that its autonomous driving system could cause vehicles to cross over the center lane line near intersections or block crosswalks. Documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show the recall affects 332 vehicles.
While no collisions have been linked to this issue, Zoox stated in its filing that the behavior could increase the risk of a crash. The company offers free public rides in its driverless vehicles in certain areas of San Francisco and Las Vegas.
A Zoox spokesperson explained the company identified instances where its vehicles performed maneuvers common for human drivers but which did not meet its own safety standards. Examples include a robotaxi stopping in a crosswalk to avoid blocking an intersection at a red light, or making a late turn that resulted in an overly wide turn.
The initial event was identified on August 26 when a Zoox robotaxi made a wide right turn, partially entered the opposing travel lane, and temporarily stopped in front of oncoming traffic. After monitoring its data, Zoox found 62 similar instances of lane crossings near intersections between August 26 and December 5. The company noted it has been in ongoing discussions with NHTSA regarding the frequency, severity, and root causes of these events.
Zoox deployed software updates on November 7 and again in mid-December to resolve all identified issues. The company stated that it has successfully implemented targeted software improvements to address the root causes. It characterized the voluntary recall as part of its commitment to transparency and safety, aiming to be open with the public and regulators about refining its technology.
According to the filing, the recall affects Zoox vehicles that operated on public roads between March 13 and December 18.
This is one of several software recalls Zoox has issued this year. A recall in March addressed unexpected hard braking, which followed a preliminary NHTSA investigation opened after reports of motorcyclists colliding with the rear of Zoox vehicles. In May, the company filed two more software recalls to fix concerns about the system’s ability to predict the movements of other road users.