Cruise Launches Driverless Robotaxi Service in San Francisco

Cruise Launches Fully Driverless Operations in San Francisco

Cruise, the autonomous vehicle division of General Motors, is initiating operations with self-driving vehicles in San Francisco that function without a human driver present in the vehicle’s front seat. Initial access will be granted to Cruise employees.

First Driverless Rides

Select members of the public will also experience these rides, however, no fares will be collected at this time. Kyle Vogt, co-founder, CTO, and president of Cruise, was the first individual to utilize the fully driverless autonomous vehicle (AV).

Vogt shared his experience extensively on Twitter, detailing the groundbreaking event. He reported that the AV was launched without a human occupant around 11 PM on Monday.

How the First Ride Worked

Prior testing always involved a human safety driver or passenger. This deployment marked a significant departure from previous procedures. The vehicle began navigating the city, awaiting ride requests.

At 11:20 PM, Vogt initiated a ride request through the Cruise application. An AV, identified as “Sourdough,” promptly arrived and stopped. Notably, the vehicle was unoccupied when it pulled over.

Upon activating the “start ride” function within the app, the AV seamlessly re-entered traffic flow.

Operational Restrictions and Permits

Vogt subsequently requested and completed five additional rides during the same evening. These rides were conducted during nighttime hours due to stipulations outlined in Cruise’s driverless deployment permit.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles permit restricts driverless operation to the hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. A maximum speed limit of 30 miles per hour is also enforced.

This permit, granted in early October, authorizes Cruise to deploy vehicles without onboard human operators and to charge for delivery services. However, it does not currently permit the charging of fees for ride-hailing services.

Future Plans for Commercial Operations

This initial driverless deployment follows a statement made by GM CEO Mary Barra, expressing confidence in Cruise’s ability to launch commercial driverless ride-hailing and delivery services by the following year.

Cruise is currently preparing to apply for a final permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). This permit is essential for enabling the company to charge for its robotaxi services.

Until this final permit is secured, access to Cruise’s driverless AVs, including “Sourdough,” will be limited to Cruise employees and members of the public participating in non-fare rides.