Waymo has suspended its autonomous vehicle services in four major U.S. cities as the company grapples with its fleet’s inability to safely navigate flooded roadways. The service pauses, which currently affect Atlanta, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston, follow a series of incidents where driverless vehicles became stranded in high-water conditions, prompting increased scrutiny from federal safety regulators.

In a recent incident in Atlanta, an unoccupied Waymo vehicle became trapped in a flooded intersection for approximately an hour before it could be recovered. The company stated that the sudden intensity of the rainfall occurred before official weather alerts were issued, leaving the vehicle’s navigation systems unable to adequately prepare for the environmental hazards. This development comes shortly after Waymo initiated a software recall aimed at preventing its cars from entering flooded, high-speed roads, though the recent events suggest that current mitigation strategies remain insufficient.

Beyond weather-related challenges, Waymo is currently facing multiple federal investigations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are examining the company’s performance regarding traffic safety, including reports of vehicles illegally passing stopped school buses and a January collision involving a child in Santa Monica. As regulators demand further data, the company continues to refine its software to address these persistent operational failures.