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The company aims to ‘revitalize public confidence’, according to their statement.
Cruise, the GM-backed self-driving firm, has announced that it is pausing all its driverless operations. The company stated that it is taking this time to carefully examine its processes, systems, and tools in order to earn public trust. This decision comes after the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise’s permits to operate driverless vehicles in the state due to safety concerns. Additionally, the California Public Utilities Commission has suspended Cruise’s license to charge passengers for robotaxi rides.
Cruise has faced recent scrutiny following an incident in which a woman was hit by another car and pinned underneath one of the company’s driverless vehicles. The company did not provide specific details on how it plans to rebuild public trust or what examining its tools and systems will entail. In the meantime, Cruise will only deploy autonomous vehicles with drivers behind the wheel.
This move comes shortly after GM CEO Mary Barra expressed support for Cruise’s expansion with a focus on safety. CEO Kyle Vogt also informed staff in an all-hands meeting that operations outside of California have not been paused. Cruise currently has driverless fleets in Phoenix, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and Miami.