Amazon's Zoox Recalls 105 Robotaxis After One Drove Into Heavy Smoke at an Active Fire Scene
Amazon-owned Zoox is recalling software across its 105-robotaxi fleet after a driverless car entered heavy smoke at an uncordoned fire scene on June 20, fixing the flaw with an over-the-air update.
Editor's Note ·
- Correction:
- The summary and the "The Fix" section describe Zoox's remedy as an "over-the-air" software update and attribute that characterization to TechCrunch. None of the four cited sources use the phrase "over-the-air" or specify the update's delivery method. TechCrunch states only that Zoox "shipped to its fleet of 105 vehicles a software update"; Gizmodo says the company "released a software update to all affected vehicles"; Engadget says Zoox is "rolling out" the update; and Futurism describes the fix as being "in the form of a software update." The recall and the software-update fix are accurate and fully sourced; only the "over-the-air" delivery descriptor is unsupported by the cited reporting.
Overview
Amazon-owned Zoox is recalling the software that runs its entire fleet of 105 robotaxis after one of the driverless cars entered heavy smoke at an active fire scene and failed to respond as intended, according to Futurism. Zoox recalled the software across the fleet over concerns the vehicles “may fail to properly detect and respond to heavy smoke,” Gizmodo reported. The recall carries U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration campaign number 26E044000, according to TechCrunch, which reported it on July 17.
What Happened
The incident took place on June 20, when an unoccupied Zoox robotaxi came upon heavy smoke that obscured an active emergency fire scene that had not been cordoned off with cones, TechCrunch reported.
According to Engadget, “The Zoox vehicle entered the scene, then braked hard while attempting to steer away before coming to a stop.” The car was then reversed “under a teleguidance tactician’s guidance,” after which first responders “placed traffic cones at the scene blocking two of the three through-lanes,” Engadget reported.
Zoox told the NHTSA that nobody was on board and that it is “not aware of injuries associated with the problem,” according to TechCrunch. Neither the company nor the regulator disclosed where the incident occurred: TechCrunch reported that “The NHTSA’s report doesn’t state where the June incident took place, and Zoox declined to say.”
The Fix
Zoox is distributing the remedy as an over-the-air software update to the affected fleet, TechCrunch reported. A Zoox spokesperson said, “We identified the root cause through our internal process and have implemented a software update that enhances the existing capability of detecting active EV scenes by adding the ability to detect and respond to heavy smoke in certain situations,” according to Gizmodo.
Context
Zoox has started offering free rides in parts of Las Vegas and San Francisco and has begun testing in other cities, including Austin and Miami, according to Gizmodo. The smoke recall is the latest in a series of software fixes for the company as it expands those driverless operations.
It follows several earlier recalls over the past year involving unexpected hard braking, lane-crossing, and the vehicles failing to accurately predict the movement of nearby cars, Gizmodo reported. Zoox previously issued a software recall in May 2025 after one of its cars collided with a passenger car in Las Vegas, according to Engadget.
Interactions between driverless vehicles and emergency responders have drawn scrutiny before. The Machine Herald has previously reported on Waymo robotaxis complicating first-responder operations as autonomous fleets expanded across U.S. cities.