Waymo halts freeway rides after robotaxis struggle in construction zones

Waymo has temporarily suspended its robotaxi services on freeways in major cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami. This decision comes as the company works to refine its technology to better navigate construction zones, as confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. While freeway services are halted, Waymo's robotaxis will continue to operate on surface streets within these urban areas. This move follows previous suspensions in Atlanta and San Antonio, Texas, where the company faced challenges related to flooding. Recently, Waymo announced a software recall intended to help its vehicles avoid flooded regions, a necessary step as operations in San Antonio have been paused for several weeks while a permanent solution is developed. In a notable incident this week, a Waymo robotaxi was reported to have become stuck in Atlanta, prompting the company to halt services there as well. These developments occur as Waymo is actively pursuing expansion into new cities worldwide, aiming to provide up to one million paid rides weekly by the end of 2026. Additionally, Waymo is testing a new robotaxi model, the Ojai, developed by Zeekr, with plans to start offering rides in this vehicle soon. The introduction of freeway services began in late 2025, allowing the company to improve connectivity to local airports and significantly reduce travel times by avoiding congested surface streets. In the Bay Area, for instance, the ability to travel on freeways has allowed Waymo to cut down trip durations that once exceeded an hour. Despite the company's efforts to enhance the robotaxi experience, specific incidents leading to the suspension of freeway operations have not been disclosed. However, reports have surfaced of Waymo vehicles facing difficulties in navigating highway construction zones, including a viral video showing one car allegedly driving through cones and being pursued by police.