Zoox Recalls 105 Autonomous Vehicles Over Software Flaw That May Fail to Detect Fire Smoke

Amazon-owned autonomous driving company Zoox has recalled all 105 of its self-driving taxis due to a software flaw that may prevent the vehicles from properly detecting dense smoke near fire scenes, posing a risk of entering emergency response zones. The issue stems from an incident on June 20, 2024, when a Zoox vehicle drove into an unsecured fire scene amid heavy smoke, subsequently applying emergency braking and being guided away by a remote operator. According to recall documents submitted to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the affected vehicles are those equipped with the relevant software between April 23 and July 15, 2026. Zoox stated that reduced visibility caused by dense smoke could increase the risk of accidents or interfere with emergency operations, constituting a safety hazard that must be addressed. To resolve the issue, Zoox deployed an over-the-air (OTA) software update to enhance the system’s ability to detect and respond to various types of dense smoke, including those from electric vehicle fires. Until the update was completed, the company implemented temporary operational measures to reduce the likelihood of vehicles entering fire-affected areas. As of July 15, all 105 vehicles have received the software update.