Dallas residents won't be seeing the white, camera-laden driverless robotaxis on the city's streets anymore — for now.
The company Waymo said it's temporarily pausing its driverless rideshare service in Dallas after concerns over severe weather and freeway access.
“We are committed to being good neighbors for our riders and our communities," a Waymo spokesperson said in a written statement Friday. "As part of that commitment, we make proactive decisions including temporarily pausing aspects of our service."
The company cited flash floods in some areas of Texas, Atlanta and Nashville and said it's working to make improvements in those areas.
The decision comes just three months after the service launched in Dallas. Since the company began operating in various U.S. cities over the past year, there have been safety concerns over the autonomous technology.
The company had filed a software recall late last year after reports that the robotaxis illegally passed stopped school buses in Austin and other cities, prompting an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
There have also been reports of the robotaxis blocking traffic during emergencies, such as during a shooting in Austin in April.
Waymo told KERA it plans to restart operations in Dallas only when it's safe to do so.
"We know riders count on us to get around, and we appreciate their patience as we work to get them where they’re going safely and reliably,” the spokesperson said.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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