Despite protests from city leaders, the California Public Utilities Commission approved permits for Cruise and Waymo to offer 24/7 paid ride-hailing service in San Francisco. However, until the DMV investigation is complete, Cruise is limited to 50 driverless vehicles on the roads during the day and 150 at night. Vogt remains optimistic about the future of driverless cars, arguing that they will ultimately lead to safer roads. Meanwhile, Cruise, which lost $1.2 billion in the first half of 2023, is working on upgrades to its technology.
Key takeaways:
- San Francisco residents and officials are increasingly frustrated with self-driving cars, particularly those from Cruise, due to a series of incidents including collisions and traffic disruptions.
- The California Department of Motor Vehicles has ordered Cruise to reduce its fleet size in San Francisco by 50 percent while it investigates a series of concerning incidents.
- Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt argues that the scrutiny on driverless cars is overblown and that much of the criticism stems from an anti-robot bias. He also believes that the public holds a double standard for human drivers and driverless cars.
- Despite the criticism and ongoing investigation, Cruise is continuing to develop its technology, with plans for high-speed driving and improved passenger pick-up processes. However, the company is under financial pressure, having lost $1.2 billion in the first half of 2023.