MAY 14: A Waymo vehicle travels on a street on May 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, is recalling more than 1,200 self-driving vehicles to update software to address risks of collisions with roadway barriers after U.S. safety investigators opened a probe. (Photo by Eric Thayer/
SAN ANTONIO – Waymo rides are once again available in San Antonio, including trips to and from San Antonio International Airport, after the company paused service following concerns about its vehicles navigating flooded roads.
Waymo said Thursday it completed software updates and operational changes aimed at improving how its autonomous vehicles detect and avoid floodwaters.
The company said it reviewed potential flooding zones across San Antonio using several data sources and added location-specific limits in high-risk areas. Waymo also adjusted its weather alerts and operating triggers so it can quickly change service during heavy rainfall.
The return follows an April incident in which an empty Waymo vehicle entered a flooded lane during extreme weather in San Antonio. No one was injured, but the company later filed a voluntary software recall with federal regulators over risks involving flooded lanes on high-speed roads.
Waymo said its latest updates improve the Waymo Driver’s ability to detect flooded roads and navigate away from them when necessary. The company said it has tested those improvements in other cities that continued operating through the summer.
“Safety is our highest priority,” Robert Chen, Waymo’s product lead for weather, said in a statement. “We took the time to implement key software updates and operational improvements around flood waters, and have thoroughly validated our technology on local roads.”
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