Autonomous vehicle outfit Cruise is slowly returning to operation in California after a pedestrian was struck and dragged by a robotaxi for approximately 20 feet in October 2023. The company announced on X that it is reintroducing human-operated mapping vehicles to the streets in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, with plans to progress to supervised testing with up to 5 AVs later this fall. Cruise, which was acquired by GM in 2016, faced a tumultuous year following the incident. The company lost its license to operate autonomous vehicles in California, CEO Kyle Vogt resigned, and multiple executives were dismissed. Despite these setbacks, Cruise has been gradually bouncing back, with vehicles returning to Arizona in April and to Houston in June. GM’s $850 million investment in Cruise has supported its operational costs, and now the company has reentered the California market in a limited capacity, but still has a long road ahead to regain public trust.
