What happens if the Waymo computer fails?

Alphabet's autonomous driving subsidiary, Waymo, has revealed detailed specifications of its next-generation onboard computing architecture and safety redundancy systems. The updated platform utilizes a proprietary 5-nanometer Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) delivering over 1,000 trillions of operations per second (TOPS) of machine-learning compute. This hardware processes data simultaneously from a sixth-generation sensor suite comprising 13 high-resolution cameras, lidar, and radar, increasing total onboard computing power roughly twentyfold over the past eight years. To safeguard against critical hardware failures without requiring remote human driver intervention, Waymo engineered a fully dual-redundant compute system capable of running parallel workloads, alongside secondary braking, redundant steering hardware, and independent power supplies. In the event of a primary compute failure, the secondary system can execute safe stops. Waymo reported having logged over 220 million fully autonomous commercial miles through March 2026, demonstrating improved safety metrics relative to human drivers and solidifying Alphabet's leadership in the commercial robotaxi sector.