NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE26-003: Automated Driving System (ADS) conflict avoidance, driving behavior competence and assertiveness
- Open
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE26-003 on May 6, 2026; NHTSA's investigations file listed it as open on October 23, 2026. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Avride Automated Driving System for it and links recall 26E-059 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE26-003 (also written PE26003)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Open since May 6, 2026
- Opened
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Avride Inc.
- Components
- Electrical System — ADAS — Autonomous/Self Driving; Electrical System — ADAS — Autonomous/Self Driving — Software
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 26E-059 (NHTSA record)
- Vehicles and equipment
- Avride Automated Driving System
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE26-003.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received several reports of crashes involving automated vehicles (AVs) equipped with the Avride automated driving system (ADS) engaged at the time of the crash. The crashes occurred in Dallas, Texas and Austin, Texas. Each of the crashes involved the competence of the ADS with respect to performing at least one of the following driving behaviors: changing lanes, responding to other vehicles present in or entering the lane ahead, and responding to stationary objects partially obstructing the lane ahead. ODI has performed a preliminary review of videos of each crash. The videos 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; failing to slow for or avoid vehicles entering the lane and path ahead; and striking stationary objects partially obstructing the lane and path ahead. These crashes have resulted in property damage and one alleged minor injury. During each of these crashes, the AVs were operating with the ADS performing the dynamic driving task while under the supervision of an in-vehicle operator in the driver's seat. Furthermore, ODI understands that Avride is operating some of its AVs on the Uber ride-hailing platform and has offered passenger service to the public since December 3, 2025 in Dallas where many of the reported crashes have occurred. The ADS performance in these crashes may indicate inappropriate assertiveness and insufficient competence to execute these driving behaviors in a safe manner and may also constitute traffic safety violations. ODI has opened this Preliminary Evaluation to investigate the performance of the Avride ADS in order to determine the scope, nature and severity of the potential problems and to assess the potential safety risks to passengers and other road users. This will include an assessment of technical and operational contributing factors and safeguards already in place, as well as any mitigating actions taken subsequent to a crash. If additional evidence received during this investigation implicates the competence of the Avride ADS with respect to other driving behaviors, these may be considered as part of this investigation as well. The SGO reports cited in this Opening Resume are listed below by report ID and are available for download at NHTSA.gov/laws-regulations/standing-general-order-crash-reporting. 31101-13612-1 31101-13612-2 31101-13612-3 31101-13616-1 31101-13621-1 31101-13624-1 31101-13625-1 31101-14066-1 31101-14070-1 31101-14148-1 31101-14150-1 31101-14166-1 31101-14200-1 31101-14235-1 31101-14286-1 31101-14328-1 31101-14509-1 31101-14653-1
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE26-003. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Avride
Avride Automated Driving System
- model year not given
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE26-003
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.