Date: April 10, 2024. — Cruise, General Motor‘s self-driving car company, is taking a measured approach to get back on track. After a safety incident halted their operations last October, they’re restarting with human-driven vehicles in Phoenix. These human-driven cars will map the roads and collect real-world information, which is essential for refining Cruise’s self-driving technology. This focus on safety is paramount, as regaining public trust is a key priority for Cruise.
The decision to reintroduce human-driven vehicles is a strategic step towards validating Cruise’s self-driving systems as they work towards returning to driverless operations. The company has emphasized that this phase is crucial for ensuring the safety and reliability of their autonomous technology.
Cruise had previously suspended its U.S. operations last October. California suspends GM’s Cruise testing of driverless cars. This led to the suspension of Cruise’s permit to operate in California. It also resulted in a recall of its vehicles by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
During the operational pause, Cruise has been conducting extensive testing in complex environments. It has also been testing on closed courses to ensure the continuous improvement of its self-driving systems.
The relaunch in Phoenix marks a significant step for Cruise. It navigates the challenges of developing robust autonomous vehicle technology and aims to rebuild public trust in its services.
