A pedestrian crosses in front of a Cruise autonomous vehicle on Gough Street in San Francisco, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023. The California Department of Motor Vehicles on Tuesday shut down the problem-plagued Cruise autonomous taxis in San Francisco, saying they were an “unreasonable risk to the public” and that the company misrepresented how safe they are.
San Francisco has become a leading proving ground for autonomous vehicle technology, with Cruise and Google spinoff Waymo testing out their technology on public roads. But Cruise’s robo-taxis have come under fire from city officials over their propensity to snarl traffic and obstruct emergency vehicles, and the DMV in August pushed the company to reduce its fleet.
The DMV also said Cruise had “misrepresented … information related to safety of the autonomous technology of its vehicles.”ArroyoFest is set to close Southern California freeway for walkers, bikers to enjoy When the Public Utilities Commission announced the expansion in August, commissioner John Reynolds — a lawyer for Cruise until joining the agency last year — said he and his colleagues did “not yet have the data to judge against the standard human drivers are setting.” But he said the vehicles could increase road safety, and companies and first responders needed to collaborate to address problems.