AVIA data shows 44 million+ autonomous miles driven and outstanding safety record

For decades, autonomous vehicles have been an aspiration and a goal of the brightest minds in the United States. Many asked when autonomous vehicles (AVs) be on our roads, safely transporting passengers, opening new mobility opportunities to those in need, and boosting our supply chain efficiency. Fortunately, the AV industry - composed of major manufacturers and inventive startups - has steadily worked to bring autonomous driving technology to the world and it is here today. But how many autonomous miles have been driven on U.S. roadways?

For the first time, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA) is releasing new aggregated data from its membership. The data shows that AVs have driven more than 44 million miles on U.S. public roads.

To put the number in context, 44 million miles is equivalent to 184 trips to the moon – or 1,767 trips around the world. And the number is growing every day.

This figure includes the full spectrum of the industry, from ride-hail and delivery to trucks and zero-occupancy vehicles. The AV industry’s odometer increases every day with each passenger and every freight haul, along with testing and other steps the industry maintains to prioritize safety. It does not include simulated or test track miles, where companies safely develop this technology. 

As the unified voice of the AV industry, this number applies exclusively to autonomous vehicles, which perform the entire driving task. AVs are  fundamentally different from driver-assist features like lane-keeping assistance or autopilot found on vehicles that a consumer can purchase for themselves.

Most importantly, the data from AVs’ 44 million miles driven demonstrates a remarkable safety record. The AV industry is required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to report any incidents – even the most minor – when the technology is engaged. Minor incidents include when a human-driven vehicle crashes into a parked AV or when road debris hits the windshield. The industry has reported this data to NHTSA for 2 years, and in this time  there has been only 1 serious injury. Human drivers, meanwhile, have caused record fatalities on U.S. roads with an increase in speeding and recklessness, along with other preventable behaviors like impaired and distracted driving. Nearly 43,000 lives were lost in 2022 alone – each fatality a loved one and member of our communities.

This mileage milestone also represents the hard work and effort of the thousands of people behind the AV industry’s success: vehicle technicians, mapping specialists, software developers, engineers, and more. The AV industry is excited and proud to lay down this mile marker while continuing to keep our eyes on the horizon to bring this technology to more American communities.