NHTSA investigates Avride robotaxi crashes in Texas
NHTSA opened a formal investigation into 16 crashes involving Avride autonomous vehicles operating on Uber in Dallas since December 2025. The agency found the vehicles exhibited excessive assertiveness and insufficient capability, with incidents including inappropriate lane changes, failure to stop for obstacles, and collisions resulting in one minor injury and property damage.
What happened
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation on May 8, 2026 into a series of crashes involving Avride autonomous vehicles operating on Uber's platform in Dallas, Texas since December 2025.
NHTSA cited 16 crashes of concern and said preliminary review showed instances of vehicles executing lane changes into other vehicles, failing to slow or stop for traffic ahead, and striking stationary objects partially blocking lanes.
NHTSA stated the vehicles' behavior may indicate excessive assertiveness and insufficient capability, which may also constitute traffic safety violations.
Reported impact
Some crashes resulted in property damage and one reported minor injury.
Index analysis
The investigation will assess the scope and severity of potential problems and risks to passengers and other road users, including technical and operational factors and safeguards.
Governance controls
Avride said in all cases the vehicle was under the supervision of a trained safety operator on board, and that in most cases the vehicle was traveling at low speeds and many incidents were precipitated by the actions of other road users.
Avride stated it has implemented targeted technical and operational mitigations to address findings from each reported incident.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.