Cruise robotaxis are again in Phoenix — however individuals are driving them

Cruise is redeploying robotaxis in Phoenix after practically 5 months of paused operations, the corporate stated in a weblog put up. The catch? The automobiles shall be in so-called “guide mode,” so that they received’t be driving themselves.

Cruise will resume guide driving of its autonomous automobiles to create maps and collect highway info in sure cities, beginning with Phoenix, the corporate stated Tuesday. The Normal Motors subsidiary already had a presence in Phoenix earlier than it pulled its whole U.S.-based fleet final 12 months following an incident in San Francisco that left a pedestrian caught below and dragged by a Cruise robotaxi.

Previous to that incident, Cruise had been saying launches in new cities — together with Dallas, Houston and Miami — at a startling tempo. Critics accused the corporate of increasing too quick and reducing corners on security.

Now Cruise seems to be going again to fundamentals, a pointy pivot away from the aggressive development technique the corporate was pursuing simply final 12 months. Throughout its pause, Cruise continued testing its autonomous car expertise in simulation and on closed programs. Creating high-quality maps and gathering highway info but once more ought to permit Cruise to satisfy elevated security and efficiency targets, the corporate stated in its weblog put up.

Cruise has not introduced when or the place it can resume driverless operations. The corporate’s most important operations had been traditionally primarily based in San Francisco, however Cruise misplaced its permits to function there following the accident. Cruise started increasing its paid service space within the Phoenix space in August 2023. Alphabet’s Waymo — Cruise’s most important competitor that’s nonetheless lively in San Francisco — has operated a paid, driverless robotaxi service within the space since 2020 and final 12 months doubled its service space in downtown Phoenix and launched driverless rides to the airport.

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