Why this Uber partner is facing probe in the US
What's the story
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Avride, a robotaxi company partnered with Uber. The probe comes after the identification of 16 crashes and one minor injury, all linked to the performance of Avride's self-driving system. The issues include lane changing difficulties, interaction with other vehicles in the same lane, and stationary objects avoidance.
System challenges
Crashes linked to 'the competence of' the self-driving system
The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has flagged 16 crashes as being connected to "the competence of" Avride's self-driving system. The issues have been observed while the vehicles were under the supervision of a safety monitor in the driver's seat. However, Avride has not explained why these monitors did not intervene during these incidents.
Company statement
Avride has implemented mitigations to address findings
In response to the NHTSA investigation, Avride said, "We have implemented targeted technical and operational mitigations to address our findings from each reported incident between December 2025 and March 2026, and have further enhanced overall system capabilities." The company also noted that its operations continue to grow while the frequency of incidents relative to mileage has steadily declined.
Corporate background
What is Avride?
Avride, a subsidiary of Nebius (formerly Yandex NV), is known for its sidewalk delivery robots. The company has been working on self-driving cars for years and partnered with Uber in 2024. Last year, Uber and its parent company Nebius agreed to make "strategic investments and other commitments" to Avride worth up to $375 million.
Recent developments
Uber started offering rides in robotaxis in Dallas
The NHTSA investigation comes just months after Uber started offering rides in Avride robotaxis in Dallas, Texas. The ODI noted that "many of the reported crashes have occurred" there. Some incidents also took place in Austin, Texas. At least one crash involved a robotaxi with a passenger onboard, raising further concerns over safety protocols and response measures within these autonomous vehicle operations.
Video analysis
Preliminary review of videos from each crash
The ODI has completed preliminary review of videos from each Avride crash. These clips show "instances of the AVs changing lanes into the path of or directly into other vehicles traveling in an adjacent lane and in close proximity to an AV; failing to slow or stop for slow-moving or stopped vehicles in the lane and path ahead." The footage also shows instances where they failed to slow down for vehicles entering their lane, struck stationary objects obstructing their path.