In a news release on Thursday, rideshare giant Uber revealed that a new crop of self-driving cars will be launching on its platform as early as next year.
Uber announced that this is possible thanks to its multiyear partnership with Cruise, a self-driving car company based in San Francisco. In other words, in 2025, you’ll have the option to hail a Cruise robotaxi via the Uber app — but only if your region supports it.
How will self-driving Uber rides work?
Once Cruise-based self-driving Uber rides roll out, customers may be presented with two options when they request a ride. Their trip can be at the helm of a traditional human driver, or they can choose to have it completed by a self-driving car.
Uber said that Cruise’s autonomous vehicles will be modified Chevy Bolt vehicles.
Is it safe?
It’s too early to say whether the Uber-and-Cruise autonomous vehicle launch will be safe. But as DigitalTrends pointed out, Cruise, which is owned by General Motors, suffered a reputation hit when one of its self-driving cars ran over a jay-walking pedestrian in San Francisco in 2024 after she was struck by a hit-and-run human driver.
According to SFChronicle, after the human driver sent the woman into the autonomous vehicle’s path, Cruise’s robotaxi dragged the woman “about 20 feet” in the October 2023 incident. Fortunately, the woman survived, but as a consequence, California blocked Cruise from operating in the state.
Cruise has been gingerly returning to the market. It began testing its robotaxis again in April 2024, including Phoenix, Dallas, and Houston, according to TechCrunch.
In a press release, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi claims that the rideshare giant is committed to customers’ safety, adding “we believe Uber can play an important role in helping to safely and reliably introduce autonomous technology to consumers and cities around the world.”
Cruise CEO Marc Whitten echoed Khosrowshahi’s statement: “Cruise is on a mission to leverage driverless technology to create safer streets and redefine urban life.”
It’s worth noting that Cruise isn’t the first autonomous vehicle company that Uber has inked a deal with. The rideshare giant has already partnered with Waymo, which has been available on the Uber app since October 2023.
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