When in San Francisco, you don’t necessarily have to hail one of Cruise’s robo-taxis. Company CEO Kyle Vogt has announced that Cruise is now licensed to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout San Francisco. Only employees have access to the entire region during this time. However, for the first time, Cruise is also opening day trips for public “power users”. While you initially only have access to a limited part of the city (primarily Pacific Heights, Richmond, and Sunset), it’s now a matter of where you are, not when you go.
Employees have been driving during the day for months. San Francisco officials have resisted expanding access to robotic taxis from Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo, fearing the companies are moving too fast. There have been incidents of driverless cars blocking traffic, including emergency vehicles. The city’s transportation authority has instead pushed for limited rollouts with incremental expansions.
Alright folks, we did it. I’ve been waiting for this day for almost 10 years.
I’m proud to announce that @Cruise is now running 24/7 across San Francisco!
This is a pivotal moment for our business.
Let me tell you why 👇(1/6) pic.twitter.com/UqCMgozrWX
— Kyle Vogt (@kvogt) April 25, 2023
There’s no timeline for wider deployments elsewhere, but Vogt promises operations will ramp up in other cities “soon.” The successful deployment in San Francisco is a “litmus test” for robotic taxis in other cities, the executive claims. The city’s challenging terrain, unusual roads and wet weather are daunting for sensors for self-driving cars.
The broader access could help GM’s own brand gain an edge over Waymo. Cruise was the first company to start charging for self-driving trips in San Francisco. Now it can provide non-stop service for some passengers. Waymo still has an advantage in areas like Phoenix, where it’s requiring public rides for a while, but it clearly has a tougher fight ahead.
