Zoox issues software recall over lane crossings

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

Although no crashes have been linked to this issue, Zoox noted in an NHTSA filing that it may increase the risk of a crash. The company is offering free rides to the public in self-driving Zoox vehicles in parts of San Francisco and Las Vegas.

A Zoox spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company has identified some instances in which its vehicles performed maneuvers that, while common for human drivers, do not meet its standards. For example, in an attempt to avoid closing certain intersections at red lights, an automated taxi may stop in a crosswalk. In other cases, the robo-taxi made a late turn, resulting in a wide spin, according to a spokesperson’s emailed statement.

The problem was initially identified on Aug. 26 when a Zoox robo-taxi made a wide right turn, crossed partially into the oncoming lane of travel, and paused in front of the oncoming lane of travel, according to the NHTSA filing.

Zoox monitored its data for additional lane 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 about the frequency, severity, and root causes of these incidents.”

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

“We have successfully identified and deployed targeted software improvements to address the root causes of these incidents,” the statement read. “Today, we are introducing a voluntary software recall because transparency and safety are key to Zoox, and we want to be open with the public and regulators about how we can continually improve our technology.”

The program is recalling affected Zoox vehicles operating 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 address unexpected severe throttling. This recall follows an initial NHTSA investigation that was opened after the agency received two reports of motorcyclists crashing into the rear of Zoox vehicles.

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