Amazon's Zoox Recalls All Robotaxis Over Software Issue Detecting Thick Smoke

Zoox, the autonomous vehicle developer owned by Amazon, has recalled 105 of its self-driving robotaxis following an incident that revealed a software problem in detecting thick smoke at fire scenes. According to a Carscoops report on Monday, the recall of Zoox’s autonomous robotaxi fleet came after United States federal regulators warned autonomous vehicle developers to fix their systems for recognising and responding to emergency situations. Based on documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue affects all Zoox robotaxis using software installed between 23 April and 15 July 2026. Zoox stated that reduced visibility caused by thick smoke could increase the risk of an accident or disrupt the work of emergency responders. The company said it could not allow such a risk to occur again. The recall stems from an incident on 20 June 2026 involving one of the company’s unoccupied vehicles. According to the company, the robotaxi entered an area with thick smoke covering a fire scene that had not yet been marked with cones, before braking suddenly and attempting to swerve to avoid it. Under the direction of a remote operator, the robotaxi then reversed and left the scene. Afterwards, firefighters closed two of the three lanes using traffic cones. Rather than replacing hardware components, Zoox released a software update designed to enhance the system’s ability to recognise and respond to thick smoke, including smoke from electric vehicle fires. The company stated it had implemented temporary operational measures to reduce the likelihood of its vehicles entering active fire scenes before the software update was completed. The software update was applied to the entire robotaxi fleet on 15 July 2026, meaning passengers can feel more at ease as such an incident should not happen again. In its letter, the NHTSA highlighted what it described as a ‘clear pattern’ of driverless vehicles disrupting the work of emergency responders. The agency cited several incidents involving robotaxis blocking ambulances and fire engines, or failing to recognise flashing emergency lights, road flares, smoke, fire, and traffic cones.