A quiet yet thrilling transformation is taking place on Austin’s roads as Avride’s self-driving cars glide through the city without a human touch. Born and built in North Austin, the company blends science and surprise by developing both autonomous vehicles and delivery robots under one roof. With sensors, LiDAR, and over a dozen cameras, these futuristic cars promise precision and performance. As Avride plans to expand its fleet and launch services beyond Austin, the race for the road enters a bold new chapter—where the driver is silent, and the technology speaks.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS — READ BOX

• Avride, based in North Austin, testing autonomous cars across the city
• Builds both self-driving cars and delivery robots in tandem
• Technology shared across both platforms speeds up innovation
• Cars use LiDAR, cameras, and sensors for road navigation
• Around 85% of riders feel comfortable within first 3 minutes
• Fleet to expand to 100 autonomous cars in coming months
• Delivery robots already serving via Uber Eats in three cities
• Full AV rollout planned in Dallas before Austin
• Other self-driving firms like Waymo and Tesla already active in Austin

A new chapter in Austin’s transportation evolution is quietly unfolding — and it’s being written by one of the city’s own. As more self-driving cars begin to share the road with traditional vehicles, an Austin-born tech company, Avride, is carving out its place in the autonomous future.

Though the company may not yet be a household name outside the region, Avride has been laying the groundwork for years. Founded in 2017, the company established its roots firmly in North Austin, where it now houses everything from vehicle assembly to its software engineering and corporate operations.

Today, its vehicles are no longer confined to labs or testing facilities. They’re out on public roads, navigating Austin’s neighborhoods with no human behind the wheel — just an array of sensors and software.

What makes Avride’s approach particularly notable is its dual focus. While many competitors concentrate on either self-driving cars or delivery robots, Avride has chosen to develop both simultaneously. That decision has led to a unique internal synergy between its two teams.

“We are probably like the only company on the market which is developing the two products simultaneously — cars and robots,”
said Yulia Shveyko, head of communications for Avride.

According to the company, this shared development track allows for faster innovation. Both vehicles and robots rely on similar foundational technologies, such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors, visual cameras, and advanced navigational systems. A breakthrough in one area often translates into progress for the other.

“They use the same technological approaches, and when breakthrough happens in the robot team or the car team, these teams are happy to share this solution with each other,”
Shveyko explained.

Each of Avride’s self-driving cars is equipped with more than a dozen cameras, all working together to perceive and interpret the environment. This web of sensory input is what enables the vehicles to move safely through city streets, even in complex or unpredictable situations.

Still, the idea of riding in a vehicle with no driver can be a tough sell for some. But the company believes skepticism often fades once passengers experience the ride firsthand.

“The first minute or two, the first-time passenger will be filming the videos, the steering wheel rotating all by itself… two minutes later, they’re in their emails, you know, messenger, whatever,”
said Shveyko.

In fact, Avride reports that approximately 85% of first-time riders feel at ease with the absence of a driver within the first one to three minutes. It’s a statistic the company sees as a strong indicator that public perception can shift with just a small taste of the technology.

Right now, only a few dozen of Avride’s autonomous cars are operating in Austin. But that number won’t stay small for long. The company has plans to scale up to a fleet of 100 in the coming months, gradually increasing its footprint across the city.

In addition to self-driving cars, Avride’s food delivery robots have already moved beyond testing. These compact sidewalk-navigating machines are now being used commercially in Austin, Dallas, and Jersey City through a partnership with Uber Eats.

The company plans to launch its autonomous vehicle services in Dallas before bringing the full rollout to Austin — a move that appears to be both strategic and logistical.

Meanwhile, Austin continues to serve as a hotbed for autonomous innovation. Alongside Avride, companies like Waymo and Tesla already have self-driving vehicles active on the roads. Others, such as Zoox and Volkswagen’s ADMT division, remain in the testing phase.

As Avride steadily expands, its local roots — and its decision to keep operations centralized in Austin — offer a compelling counterpoint to the growing number of Silicon Valley-driven initiatives in the space.