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Cruise, Uber enter partnership for customers to access AV rides

Kalea Hall, The Detroit News on

Published in Automotive News

General Motors Co.'s self-driving unit Cruise LLC and Uber Technologies LLC have entered a multiyear deal for customers to book autonomous Cruise robotaxis through the Uber platform, the companies said Thursday.

Cruise and Uber expect to launch the service in 2025 with Chevrolet Bolt-based autonomous vehicles. Specific details of the partnership weren't released.

GM over the last few months has been focused on relaunching Cruise service, changing its leadership and rethinking its safety strategy after one of the unit's Bolt autonomous electric vehicles in October 2023 dragged a San Francisco pedestrian who was hit by a human-driven vehicle and thrown into the AV's path.

The incident led regulators to scrutinize Cruise's safety standards, which led to Cruise suspending its services. Kyle Vogt, former Cruise CEO and founder, left the company in November.

In June, GM named Marc Whitten as Cruise's next CEO. Whitten is a former Amazon executive and founding engineer at Xbox. In February, the automaker hired Steve Kenner as its chief safety officer, a role the company established after the pedestrian crash.

“Cruise is on a mission to leverage driverless technology to create safer streets and redefine urban life,” Whitten said in a statement. “We are excited to partner with Uber to bring the benefits of safe, reliable, autonomous driving to even more people, unlocking a new era of urban mobility.”

 

Cruise has relaunched service with safety drivers in Houston, Phoenix and Dallas.

In the second quarter, GM executives announced the company would pause production of the Cruise Origin robotaxi, which led to a $600 million charge in the quarter. Cruise is instead focused on using all-electric, autonomous Chevrolet Bolts.

During a second-quarter earnings call with investors, CEO Mary Barra said the change addressed "the regulatory uncertainty we face with the Origin," since that vehicle had no steering wheel or pedals.

Cruise's expenses in the quarter were $450 million, down $150 million from a year ago, after the organization reduced its operational activities.


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