Monday, April 1, 2024

GM halts production of Cruise Origin robotaxi amid suspended operations

cruise automation

The skillset led to internet-native companies such as Google. Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Business Technology Overview

Startups with no demanding customers can lose their urgency, with development cycles dragging on for years, says Rust, who worked at Google’s experimental research factory before joining Cruise. “We tried to accomplish what one of the most talented teams at Google did in two years and compress that into six months,” Vogt says. That chaotic, sleepless first 72 hours foreshadowed the entire seven years of Justin.tv’s existence. Startup life is prone to drama and dysfunction, but Justin.tv’s flailings were so uniquely turbulent that a Hollywood production company optioned the rights for a feature film about it. But to cement his legacy, he must pull off an even rarer feat—a startup acquisition that actually works.

Auto & Transportation

In light of a series of incidents, including a pedestrian who was seriously injured by a Cruise robotaxi last year, California law enforcement has its hands tied when it comes to issuing moving violations when no human is behind the wheel. Since becoming part of General Motors in March 2016,[17] Cruise has been working on developing software and hardware to make fully autonomous vehicles using modified Chevrolet Bolts. Earlier this year, Friedlander outlined numerous concerns about how autonomous vehicles generally interact with not only the public, but also with buses, trains, and first responders. By then, self-driving cars were feeling less like one of the craziest things. Google was showing off its fleet of jelly bean pod cars, Uber’s CEO predicted an end to human cabdrivers, and Detroit automakers were taking a closer look at the up-and-coming self-driving-car startups.

Accelerating AV Development

The California-based company previously made breakthroughs in self-driving technologies by transporting senior citizens around their communities. Voyage looks to pair its previous research with Cruise’s substantial resources to expand self-driving services to all. In 2017, Cruise was conducting testing on public roads with Cruise AVs in San Francisco, Scottsdale, Arizona, and the metropolitan Detroit area. "Cruise has a deeply troubling record of dangerous incidents involving its autonomous vehicles. This company must not be allowed to test its vehicles on Arizona roads. Cruise is pausing production of its purpose-built robotaxi, the Origin — the autonomous vehicle company’s latest setback amid suspended operations and increased scrutiny from regulators. The company's main offerings include autonomous driving solutions for everyday travel and commercial logistics.

The companies did not announce financial terms, but Fortune says the deal is valued at more than $1 billion between cash and stock. As we often like to highlight when talking about self-driving development programs, data can make all the difference. And the best way to accumulate a lot of data is through large test fleets. While Tesla went the way of adding sensors to all its production vehicles to gather data, most other automakers and tech companies are doing it through captive test fleets, which all vary in sizes. GM’s autonomous driving division, Cruise Automation, announced the launch of the beta version of its autonomous ride-sharing app currently being used by employees in San Francisco, where they operate a fleet of autonomous Chevy Bolt EV test vehicles. Anyone living in San Francisco knows that the city has been a testing ground for hundreds of self-driving cars – and there is probably a good reason why.

Cruise Self-Driving Vehicles Return to Phoenix Roads - IoT World Today

Cruise Self-Driving Vehicles Return to Phoenix Roads.

Posted: Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

cruise automation

Its technology facilitates localization and mapping, perception, prediction, planning and control, autonomous driving infrastructure, and more. As for its new acquisition, GM says Cruise will operate as an independent unit within its newly formed Autonomous Vehicle Development Team, and continue to be based in San Francisco. Founded in 2013, the company has "moved quickly to develop and test autonomous vehicle technology in San Francisco's challenging city environment," GM said. The move comes after GM in January invested $500 million in Lyft to help the Uber competitor beef up its ridesharing service.

Learn the basics of how a Cruise car navigates city streets safely and efficiently. In September, Vogt claimed that Cruise was “just days away” from receiving the necessary approval to mass-produce the Origin. That approval still has not come, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not shared more details on the matter.

cruise automation

"Learning how to drive in San Francisco is amazing for AI," said Hussein Mehanna, the company's head of AI, noting that the dense and unpredictable streets are ultimately an advantage. "The more interesting the data, the more the machine can learn." I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Like all the automakers, GM has an innovation outpost in Palo Alto. Staying independent is too important—and besides, they’re busy. As I scan my list of questions, Vogt is antsy to get back to his desk. “I think we’ve given you quite a bit of color.” The clock is ticking, and their legacy is on the line. It’s been nearly two years since GM provided images of a next-generation Bolt EV that lacks a steering wheel or pedals.

It was founded in 2017 and is based in Mountain View, California. Waymo operates as a technology company focused on autonomous driving in the transportation industry. The company offers a ride-hailing service that uses self-driving cars. Its primary customers are individuals in urban areas who require transportation services.

"Cruise provides our company with a unique technology advantage that is unmatched in our industry," Mark Reuss, GM executive vice president of global product development, purchasing, and supply chain, said in a statement. "We intend to invest significantly to further grow the talent base and capabilities already established by the Cruise team." GM said the acquisition will allow it to "accelerate" its autonomous vehicle development efforts.

Bright-burning startups tend to fizzle after selling to larger companies. Vogt and Kan must figure out how to navigate the politics and red tape of their new corporate overlord without losing any of the fast-moving startup DNA that made them so attractive to GM to begin with. Statistically speaking, most of us will never build a billion-dollar company. If any of us did pull that off, we’d most likely feel pretty satisfied with ourselves. Cruise Automation announced today it’s secured a new $1.15 billion in funding, the latest in a long line of large investments into GM’s self-driving division. Cruise cars tell their wheels and other controls how to move along the selected path and react to changes in it.

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