Cruise Suspends Self-Driving Taxis Across US

Cruise announced Thursday night it was pausing all operations, following Monday’s California suspension

Liz Hughes, Editor, IoT World Today

October 27, 2023

2 Min Read
A Cruise self-driving taxi on a road in San Francisco.
Getty Images

Just days after the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise’s permits for autonomous vehicle deployment and testing, the company announced it’s taking a step back from operations. 

Cruise announced late Thursday night that the General Motors’ subsidiary has paused all operations. Besides San Francisco, Cruise also operates in Phoenix, Austin and Houston. Over the summer the company announced plans to expand to Miami and Nashville. But the future of that expansion is now uncertain.

“The most important thing for us right now is to take steps to rebuild public trust,” Cruise posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). “Part of this involves taking a hard look inwards and at how we do work at Cruise, even if it means doing things that are uncomfortable or difficult.

“In that spirit, we have decided to proactively pause driverless operations across all of our fleets while we take time to examine our processes, systems and tools and reflect on how we can better operate in a way that will earn public trust.

Cruise said the decision is not related to any new incidents on the road and that the company will continue with its supervised autonomous vehicle operations. 

“We think it’s the right thing to do during a period when we need to be extra vigilant when it comes to risk, relentlessly focused on safety & taking steps to rebuild public trust.”

Related:Cruise Self-Driving Taxi Operations Suspended in California

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On Monday, the California DMV’s suspension with the agency issuing a statement saying the decision was due to an “unreasonable risk to public safety.”

The statement highlighted specific reasons why the suspension was necessary, including when a “manufacturer’s vehicles are not safe for public operation,” and also when it has “misrepresented” information relating to the safety of the vehicles.

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About the Author

Liz Hughes

Editor, IoT World Today, IoT World Today

Liz Hughes is an award-winning digital media editor with more than two decades of experience in newspaper, magazine and online media industries. 

A proven digital media strategist and editor, Liz has produced content and offered editorial support and leadership for a variety of web publications, including Fast Company, NBC Boston, Street Fight, QuinStreet, WTWH Media, AOL/Patch Media and Design News.

A skilled social media strategist experienced in developing and maintaining an audience across multiple platforms and brands, Liz also enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise to help businesses small and large.

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