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Pour one out for Cruise and why autonomous vehicle test miles dropped 50% | TechCrunch

Feb 06, 2025 - techcrunch.com
TechCrunch Mobility reports that Cruise, a robotaxi company, has been fully acquired by General Motors, leading to a 50% staff reduction and integration of remaining employees into GM to work on its advanced driver-assistance system, Super Cruise. Concerns are raised about retaining talent and whether this will enhance GM's autonomous vehicle capabilities. The article also mentions Cruise's internal Project Rhino, aimed at improving robotaxi safety following a 2023 incident involving a pedestrian.

In other news, Applied Intuition acquired EpiSys Science Inc., GenLogs raised $14.6 million in a Series A funding round, and Presto secured $15 million in a seed round. The California DMV reported a 50% drop in autonomous vehicle test miles, partly due to Cruise's situation. Waabi partnered with Volvo for autonomous trucks, and Waymo is appearing on the Uber app in Austin. The article also highlights issues with the 2024 Kia Niro's battery life and user interface during a road trip.

Key takeaways:

  • Cruise, a robotaxi company, is now a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, resulting in a 50% staff reduction and integration into GM's advanced driver-assistance system efforts.
  • Applied Intuition acquired EpiSys Science Inc., while GenLogs and Presto raised significant funding rounds for their respective technologies in freight intelligence and EV charging.
  • Waymo is now appearing on the Uber app in Austin, indicating future plans for Waymo vehicles to pick up passengers through the platform.
  • The 2024 Kia Niro EV faced challenges with battery life in winter and user interface design, particularly with the volume control, during a road trip test.
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