Zeekr from China Issues Recall for 1 Electric Vehicle in the U.S. | Carscoops

      Waymo's first robotaxi, one of 30, has been recalled three times due to its failure to meet critical safety standards.

      The Chinese brand announced three recalls for a single RT robotaxi delivered to the United States. Zeekr produced 30 RT robotaxis between December 2024 and January 2025, but the majority are still located in China. The RT is believed to feature a sophisticated 800-volt electrical system.

      Zeekr does not currently sell any of its electric vehicles in the U.S., and it is unlikely to do so as long as President Donald Trump remains in office. Nevertheless, Zeekr is involved with the latest robotaxi being tested by Waymo in the U.S., and earlier this month, it issued three recalls for the same model on one day.

      Known as the RT, this Waymo robotaxi saw 30 units manufactured in China from December 16, 2024, to January 8, 2025, with intentions to bring them to the States. One of these units arrived in the U.S. on January 27, 2025, but was found to be noncompliant with several Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards during inspection.

      The first recall addresses safety issues related to the inflatable curtain and passenger airbags. In a crash test at 40 km/h (25 mph) at a 30-degree angle with unbelted occupants, Zeekr discovered that the crash test dummy shifted toward the right A-pillar. While the airbags prevented the dummy's head from hitting, they did not provide adequate protection.

      To remedy this, Zeekr plans to install a physical stop in the passenger seat rail, limiting movement from 300 mm (11.8 inches) to 50 mm (1.9 inches).

      Regarding the second recall, it involves an Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) issue that can cause the airbag control module to deactivate the passenger airbag. The system may also struggle to accurately assess a passenger's weight to determine whether to activate or deactivate the airbag. To address this, Zeekr will update the software of the one vehicle shipped to the U.S.

      Additionally, a third recall pertains to another airbag problem. Side-impact tests revealed that the inflatable curtain airbag could become caught on the A-pillar trim during deployment, potentially leaving the rear side window uncovered. To fix this, new C-pillar chutes will be installed.

      The remaining 29 Zeekr RT models will be repaired at the factory prior to being sent to the U.S.