Zoox, Amazon’s AV division, has issued its second March software recall. This move comes after a string of incidents with its robotaxi. As of April 19, the company had recalled 258 of those vehicles. The problem is in its driver assistance system, which can lead to unanticipated hard braking. That wasn’t too long after the company recalled approximately 270 of its vehicles. This decision came in the aftermath of a fatal collision in Las Vegas that raised significant alarm over the self-driving software’s capacity to predict the actions of other roadway participants.
That previous Las Vegas accident was a crash between a Zoox robotaxi and a conventional passenger vehicle. When the crash was made, the Zoox automobile was simply standing there. This occurrence raised alarm bells about the soundness of the system’s day-to-day operations. According to media reports, two of these incidents were the result of motorcyclists crashing into the rear of Zoox test vehicles. This amplifies the company’s already significant shaking issues with safety and concern in its autonomous driving technology.
Rebecca Bellan, then a senior reporter at TechCrunch, reported on both recalls deeply. She pointed out that this first recall came after intense criticism on Zoox’s autonomous driving technology. It’s worth noting that the Zoox vehicle was completely stopped at the time of contact. The e-scooterist landed on the ground immediately next to the vehicle. Finally, the robotaxi began its route and turned onto a main street. It then stopped without making any additional contact with the e-scooterist, as detailed in an explanation from Zoox.
These recalls emphasize the ongoing scrutiny faced by companies developing autonomous technology, particularly those like Zoox that are in the testing phase. Frequent hard braking is an invitation to potential deadly hazards. These risks endanger not only passengers but everyone else on the road sharing our streets.
Zoox is still in test mode with its autonomous driving system as it hopes to develop its technology for commercial application. As incidents continue to arise, the company must address safety concerns proactively to maintain public trust and regulatory approval.
