The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Avride, a subsidiary of Nebius and partner of Uber, following a series of 16 self-driving crashes in Austin and Dallas.
These incidents, which resulted in property damage and one minor injury, have raised regulatory concerns regarding the automated driving system's (ADS) ability to navigate obstacles and execute lane changes. Avride, which initially gained recognition for its sidewalk delivery robots, entered a partnership with Uber in 2024.
By 2025, the firm secured up to $375 million in strategic investment commitments from Uber and Nebius to support its expansion. This federal inquiry comes after the recent launch of Uber's robotaxi services in Dallas.
Reports from the Office of Defects Investigation indicate that the ADS struggled with basic maneuvers, such as avoiding objects or maintaining correct lane positioning, even when safety monitors were present. This scrutiny of Avride is part of a broader trend of increased U.S. regulatory oversight as autonomous vehicle technologies scale.
According to the official report, Avride vehicles involved in crashes were using their automated driving system under human supervision. NHTSA cited failures including improper lane changes, poor response to other vehicles, and collisions with stationary objects, like a Dumpster.
A December 2025 Dallas crash involving a Hyundai Ioniq 5 resulted in a minor injury when it hit a parked truck's door. Another Dallas collision occurred when an Avride taxi merged into a van while avoiding a truck. While some crashes involved other drivers turning into the robotaxis, only one instance noted a safety monitor attempting to intervene.
Other robot taxi services like Waymo are also facing investigations by the NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board concerning illegal maneuvers near school buses and for a January collision where a Waymo robotaxi struck a child.
Avride and Uber have not yet responded for comment.
Alexsis Jones is a reporter and producer for KERA News. Got a tip? Email Alexsis at ajones@kera.org.
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