General Motors announced on Tuesday that its Cruise driverless-taxi division has resumed test operations in three Sun Belt cities. The self-driving cars now have human safety drivers onboard to monitor the vehicles and intervene if necessary.
G.M. had previously halted most of Cruise’s operations following an unfortunate incident in San Francisco last year, where one of its vehicles hit and dragged a pedestrian. This incident led to California revoking Cruise’s license to operate driverless vehicles in the state. In response, G.M. made significant changes within Cruise, including laying off a quarter of its employees and appointing new executives to lead the division.
G.M.’s chief financial officer, Paul Jacobson, stated that Cruise is currently offering autonomous ride services in Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix. The company is utilizing self-driving Chevrolet Bolt electric cars for these services. Additionally, the production of the dedicated driverless cab, Cruise Origin, has been put on hold indefinitely. Cruise had developed the Origin, a unique vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, specifically for its autonomous taxi service.
“We believe that, both from a regulatory and cost perspective, the Bolt is a more suitable option at this time,” Mr. Jacobson mentioned during a press briefing. It is anticipated that Cruise will transition to a modified version of the redesigned Bolt, set to enter production next year. The new Bolt model is expected to be more cost-effective compared to the Origin.
