Cruise Automation

Cruise Automation
Name	Cruise Automation
Industry	Autonomous vehicles
Founded	0 2013
Founders	Kyle Vogt, Daniel Kan
Hq location	San Francisco, California, United States
Key people	Kyle Vogt (CEO), Mo Elshenawy (President)
Parent	General Motors
Website	getcruise.com

Cruise Automation. It is an American company specializing in the development of autonomous vehicle technology. Founded in San Francisco in 2013, the company became a majority-owned subsidiary of General Motors in 2016. Cruise has focused on creating a commercial robotaxi service, conducting extensive testing and launching limited public operations in several U.S. cities.

History

The company was founded in 2013 by Kyle Vogt and Daniel Kan. Its initial product was an aftermarket system designed to add highway autopilot capabilities to existing vehicles like the Audi A4. In 2016, General Motors acquired the startup, with Vogt continuing as CEO. Significant investment followed from partners including SoftBank Vision Fund, Honda, and Microsoft, valuing the venture highly. A major milestone was reached in 2020 when Cruise received a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test fully driverless vehicles, without a safety operator, on public roads in San Francisco. The company began its first fully driverless commercial passenger service in the city in 2022.

Technology

Cruise's technology stack is built around a suite of sensors, including lidar, radar, and cameras, integrated into a purpose-built autonomous vehicle, the Cruise Origin. This vehicle, developed in partnership with General Motors and Honda, lacks a steering wheel and pedals. The core artificial intelligence system, powered by machine learning and neural networks, processes sensor data to perceive the environment, predict the behavior of other road users like pedestrians and cyclists, and plan safe paths. The company utilizes detailed high-definition maps and a remote assistance system where human operators can provide guidance in complex situations.

Operations and services

Cruise's primary service is a commercial robotaxi network, accessed by the public through a mobile application similar to Uber or Lyft. Its first fully driverless paid rides launched in San Francisco in 2022, later expanding to Phoenix and Austin. Operations typically occurred in designated geofenced areas during nighttime hours. The service was paused nationwide in October 2023 following regulatory scrutiny. Prior to this, Cruise also operated a free driverless delivery service in partnership with DoorDash and Walmart in select markets, transporting food and groceries.

Safety record and incidents

The company's safety record has been scrutinized following several notable incidents. In June 2022, one of its vehicles blocked a San Francisco Fire Department truck responding to an emergency. A more serious incident occurred in October 2023 in San Francisco, where a pedestrian, initially struck by a human-driven vehicle, was then dragged by a Cruise autonomous vehicle. Cruise initially provided incomplete video footage of the event to regulators like the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This led to the suspension of its operating permits in California and a voluntary nationwide halt of all driverless operations for an internal safety review.

Business and partnerships

General Motors is the majority owner and primary manufacturing partner, producing the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt vehicles used in Cruise's early fleet and the purpose-built Cruise Origin. Major financial investments have come from SoftBank Vision Fund, Honda, and Microsoft, with Walmart also participating in a funding round. Strategic partnerships were formed with DoorDash for food delivery and with the State of Arizona for testing. In late 2023, following operational challenges, General Motors significantly reduced spending on the unit and appointed a new President, Mo Elshenawy, while co-founder Kyle Vogt resigned as CEO.

Regulatory environment

Cruise operates within a complex and evolving regulatory landscape. It must obtain permits from state agencies like the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission to test and deploy vehicles. At the federal level, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened investigations into its operations and can issue recalls. Following the October 2023 incident, regulators in California accused the company of misrepresenting safety information, leading to the revocation of its deployment and testing permits. The company's interactions with city governments, including the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, have also been pivotal and at times contentious during its expansion efforts.

Category:Autonomous vehicle companies Category:Companies based in San Francisco Category:General Motors