Zoox has initiated a software recall following a scenario in June where one of its robotaxis had difficulty navigating an emergency fire scene filled with smoke.

The Amazon-owned entity announced on Friday that it has dispatched a software update to its fleet of 105 vehicles aimed at correcting the issue. Zoox informed TechCrunch via a statement that the update “improves the current ability to identify active [emergency] situations by incorporating the capability to detect and respond to significant smoke in certain conditions.”

At the time of the incident in June, there were no occupants in the vehicle, and Zoox reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it is unaware of any injuries linked to the issue. The NHTSA’s report does not specify the location of the June occurrence, and Zoox chose not to disclose it.

The recall from Zoox comes just days after NHTSA administrator Jonathan Morrison cautioned self-driving vehicle firms against obstructing emergency responders in a letter.

“To be clear: the failure to recognize and effectively respond to such scenarios signifies a functional shortcoming,” he stated. “Emergency situations are not infrequent or exceptional ‘edge cases.’ Therefore, NHTSA is currently issuing a call to action for AV developers and operators to urgently allocate their efforts towards rectifying this issue.”

TechCrunch previously highlighted how Waymo has faced ongoing conflicts with first responders as it ventures into new locations. As of March this year, the company had recorded at least six instances where first responders needed to physically relocate robotaxis from emergency sites.

According to the report by NHTSA regarding the recall, on June 20, a Zoox robotaxi “encountered dense smoke that obscured an active emergency fire scene which was not marked off with cones.” The Zoox vehicle “braked abruptly while attempting to avoid the situation before ultimately stopping.” A Zoox teleoperator was able to maneuver the vehicle away from the scene, enabling first responders to set up traffic cones.

Zoox informed NHTSA that it performed an investigation to determine the underlying cause and recognize any similar occurrences. The company stated “this is the sole occurrence of this nature that Zoox has faced,” and that during late June and early July, it engaged in numerous discussions with the safety authority about the “gravity, recurrence, and fundamental causes.” Zoox made the decision to recall on July 7, a day prior to Morrison’s correspondence.

This is not the inaugural recall for Zoox. The business voluntarily recalled vehicle software in March 2025 to rectify a hard-braking concern that NHTSA had been examining since 2024. It executed two additional recalls in May 2025 following a collision with a passenger vehicle and an incident involving a Zoox vehicle that was hit by an e-scooter rider.

Zoox has been progressively broadening its testing to additional cities and is providing complimentary rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco, in preparation for a forthcoming commercial rollout. This launch is contingent on the NHTSA granting the company an exemption from certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, due to the fact that Zoox’s robotaxis do not feature a steering wheel or pedals. The NHTSA has also recently suggested eliminating the brake-pedal requirement for vehicles designed for full autonomy.

This piece has been revised with a statement from Zoox.