An Avride vehicle operating in autonomous mode recently struck and killed a female duck in the Mueller Lake neighborhood of Austin, Texas, sparking significant backlash among local residents. The duck was well-known in the community, having frequently nested in a planter outside a local Italian restaurant, leading many neighbors to express their anger over the incident.
According to local news outlet KXAN, a resident posted in a community Facebook group claiming that the vehicle did not slow down or stop after the impact, but instead drove directly over the bird. Avride spokesperson Yulia Shveyko confirmed to TechCrunch that the vehicle was indeed in autonomous mode at the time of the incident, with a human safety operator present in the car.
Questions Raised Over Autonomous Safety
Beyond the collision, the resident also alleged that the vehicle failed to obey a stop sign at the time of the incident. Avride denied this claim, stating that a review of the vehicle’s data confirmed it had come to a complete and proper stop at all relevant intersections. While Avride has not fully suspended its public road testing, it has adjusted its operational footprint to avoid specific streets near the site of the incident.
Shveyko stated that the company’s technical team has repeatedly replayed the incident through simulation systems to evaluate potential improvements. The company is currently conducting a series of controlled simulation experiments to ensure that any adjustments to the algorithms do not negatively impact the vehicle's safety performance in other scenarios.
As for the duck’s eggs, local residents have relocated them to an incubator for care. In addition to Avride, companies including Zoox, Tesla, and Waymo—which partners with Uber—are also currently testing or operating autonomous vehicles in parts of Austin.
