Zoox Recalls 105 Autonomous Vehicles Over Smoke Detection Flaw Linked to Fire Scene Incursions

Amazon-owned autonomous driving company Zoox recently issued a software recall affecting 105 self-driving taxis. The recall stems from a flaw in the vehicle’s perception system that prevented it from detecting dense smoke, causing one of its vehicles to enter an emergency response zone at a fire scene in Las Vegas on June 20. At the time, no traffic cones were deployed to cordon off the area, and heavy smoke obscured the roadway. The unoccupied Zoox vehicle drove directly into the active emergency operations area but fortunately came to a safe stop after triggering emergency braking. No injuries occurred, and remote operators subsequently guided the vehicle to reverse and exit the scene. Zoox has reported the recall to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and has deployed a software patch to address the smoke-detection vulnerability. NHTSA recently issued a special directive highlighting that autonomous vehicles frequently interfere with firefighting, medical, and other emergency operations—common industry issues include entering accident scenes, blocking emergency access routes, and failing to recognize smoke or warning signs. The agency has ordered relevant companies to implement corrective measures and submit solutions by the end of the month. Zoox operates driverless shuttle vehicles without steering wheels or pedals and has been conducting passenger-carrying tests in multiple U.S. cities. This marks the company’s second software recall within a year; a previous update addressed issues related to lane-keeping and pedestrian prediction. Separately, public records show that industry leader Waymo recalled nearly 3,900 vehicles last month after its system misjudged road conditions, causing vehicles to enter a closed highway construction zone. Safety deficiencies in autonomous perception systems have now become a key focus for regulators.