California-based company, Cruise, will soon be in Dallas with their driverless rideshare program. The company expects the cars to hit North Texas by 2024.
Cruise — which received $10 billion from companies and investors such as GM, Honda, Microsoft, T. Rowe Price and Walmart — is already using almost 400 self-driving cars in Austin, San Francisco and Phoenix.
Cruise is currently in the process of finalizing its operating hours in Dallas; however, the company's focus will remain on areas characterized by pedestrian activity and vibrant nightlife. In San Francisco for example, Cruise offers round-the-clock ride services.
All of Cruise's vehicles undergo continuous monitoring through a command and customer service center located in Phoenix, which operates constantly. After the evening shift concludes, these vehicles will head back to a nearby facility for recharging, maintenance and cleaning.
Constant surveillance and dedicated customer service will be in place around the clock to promptly address any concerns pertaining to each vehicle. But additional concerns have already come up.
According to WFAA, the company caused quite a stir after several issues. Shortly after the state granted Cruise and another company the authorization to extend their service hours, encompassing overnight traffic, Cruise vehicles caused a complete standstill in a particular neighborhood. The company attributed the disruption of its vehicle Wi-Fi to a music festival.
Similar services in other major cities also led to traffic congestion and even hindered emergency response operations. Recently, the City of San Francisco formally requested state regulators to halt the introduction of robotaxis, citing the need for further testing and enhanced regulations.
Authorities urged General Motors to promptly withdraw some of its Cruise robotaxis from circulation after these autonomous vehicles were implicated in two incidents, including a collision with an active fire truck earlier this month.
According to the company, Cruise collaborates closely with regulatory bodies and local authorities to educate first responders about the process of reporting problems with fleet vehicles.
