General Motors’ Cruise robotaxi service has signed a multi-year deal with Uber, allowing Uber customers to hail a Cruise self-driving taxi from their smartphone starting next year. This partnership marks Cruise’s return to the roads since a pedestrian accident in San Francisco in October 2023. The specific date and city for Uber’s rollout of Cruise’s robotaxis have not been revealed yet, but it will follow Cruise’s relaunch of its driverless taxi service in 2025. Cruise is currently testing cars with human drivers in Dallas, Phoenix, and Houston, with plans to expand to more cities. Uber also has a collaboration with Waymo’s self-driving car fleet in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Cruise has recently settled an investigation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration following multiple incidents involving autonomous vehicles. Cruise also faced scrutiny for failing to disclose an accident involving a pedestrian in San Francisco, leading to the firing of nine executives. The company has since agreed to pay a fine allowing them to restart operations in California.
