Some Texas robotaxi emergency phone lines don't actually work

NBC News called every emergency contact number Texas driverless-car and truck companies filed with the state and found some disconnected, unstaffed, or wrong.

What happened: Texas requires companies running self-driving cars or trucks to file a plan telling police, fire crews, and EMS exactly how to reach the company if one of their vehicles is involved in an emergency. NBC News obtained all 17 of these published plans on file with the state and did something simple: it called the numbers. Some rang through to no one, some were disconnected entirely, and some plans had the wrong number listed altogether.

Why it matters: These numbers exist for a reason. If a driverless car crashes, catches fire, stalls in traffic, or starts behaving unpredictably, responders on scene often need the company on the phone quickly to get the vehicle powered down, moved, or explained. A phone line that doesn't work isn't a paperwork slip; it's a missing link at the exact moment when speed matters most for public safety.

How the requirement works, plainly: Under Texas law, autonomous vehicle operators must submit a written plan describing how first responders can contact them in an emergency before they can legally operate. The idea is that state troopers or a local fire department shouldn't have to guess which tech company owns the car blocking an intersection, or scramble to find a working number while a scene is still unfolding.

The gap between rule and reality: NBC's test suggests the requirement is treated as a one-time filing rather than something anyone verifies afterward. Companies change staffing, phone systems, and vendors, but nothing in the process NBC described shows the state re-checking that these numbers still work. That leaves a safety mechanism that looks solid on paper but may quietly stop functioning without anyone noticing until it's needed.