Google parent company Alphabet (GOOGL) has suspended self-driving vehicle operations on U.S. freeways and in the city of Atlanta over safety concerns.
The technology giant said that its Waymo unit has suspended its robotaxi service on all U.S. freeways ?and paused its operations entirely ?in Atlanta as it updates and fixes a software issue.
In recent weeks, there have been reports of the self-driving vehicles struggling around construction zones and shutting down on flooded roadways.
The suspension comes after Waymo had ?expanded quickly in the U.S. as competitors such as Tesla (TSLA) and Amazon (AMZN) push aggressively into the robotaxi sector.
Prior to the suspension, Waymo had made freeway trips available in U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami.
In Atlanta, Waymo had offered self-driving robotaxi rides through a partnership with Uber Technologies (UBER).
The suspension of operations comes after Alphabet recalled 3,800 robotaxis in the U.S. earlier in May after identifying a risk that the vehicles could enter flooded roads at ?high speeds.
GOOGL stock has risen 127% in the last 12 months to trade at $387.66 U.S. per share.
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