Uber and General Motors' Cruise division join forces to launch self-driving vehicles in operation
In a significant move towards the future of transportation, Uber and Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, have announced plans to launch their autonomous vehicle services in key cities across the United States. San Francisco and Austin are set to be the primary launch cities for their ride-share platforms.
Cruise, which has been focusing on regulatory approvals in San Francisco since 2020, has already begun supervised rides with safety drivers in Phoenix and Dallas, as well as resuming mapping operations in Phoenix following a suspension of its permits by California regulators in 2021. Uber's partner, Waymo, has been operating in Austin and is expanding to cities like Miami and Atlanta.
The partnership between Uber and Cruise is expected to offer Uber riders the option to choose a Chevy Bolt-based autonomous vehicle for certain rides, starting next year. However, the latest deal does not provide details on the partnership's expected timeline or the cities where the service will be available initially.
Uber's self-driving vehicle struck and killed a woman in Tempe, Arizona in 2018, resulting in the conviction of the safety driver behind the wheel. In San Francisco, a Cruise robotaxi severely injured a pedestrian in an accident in October 2021. Despite these incidents, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi expressed excitement about the partnership, emphasizing the potential global role of his company in the introduction of autonomous vehicles.
In a bid to further enhance their autonomous vehicle offerings, Uber recently inked an agreement with BYD, a China-based electric vehicle manufacturer, to collaborate on future AVs. The company also launched autonomous deliveries with a robotaxi company earlier this year.
However, Cruise continues to face issues, including a recent recall of its entire fleet due to a software issue that contributes to unexpected braking when a cyclist or vehicle approaches from the rear, potentially increasing the risk of collisions.
Marc Whitten was appointed as the CEO of Cruise in June 2022, taking over from Dan Ammann who led the company since 2015. As the autonomous vehicle industry continues to evolve, Uber and Cruise's plans mark a significant step forward in the widespread adoption of self-driving technology.
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