Cruise halts robotaxi services nationwide in a bid to ‘earn public trust’
In the US, Cruise is pausing its autonomous fleet but says no new incidents have occurred on the road.
Cruise, the autonomous vehicle operator supported by General Motors, has chosen to proactively suspend its fleet of driverless cars nationwide. This decision follows the suspension of Cruise’s robotaxi permit in California by state regulators, who stated that the vehicles are not safe for public operation.
In recent weeks, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed an ongoing investigation into Cruise following reports of pedestrian injuries related to their autonomous vehicles. A significant incident took place on October 2nd in San Francisco, where a woman was pinned under a Cruise robotaxi after being hit by another driver and thrown into the path of the self-driving vehicle.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Cruise announced its commitment to reviewing the company’s tools, systems, and processes to enhance its operations and regain public trust. The robotaxi service clarified that the decision to temporarily halt operations was not prompted by any recent on-road incidents.
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Cruise emphasized that supervised autonomous vehicle operations would continue, underscoring their dedication to prioritizing safety and rebuilding public confidence. According to the company, this pause in service aligns with its determination to be exceptionally vigilant regarding risks and to take proactive measures to strengthen public trust.
Cruise-operated driverless robotaxi services in Austin, Phoenix, and Houston before the pause. Several other regions have also been tested by the company, including Miami, San Francisco, and Dallas, and Seattle and Washington DC are scheduled to be included in the testing program.
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