The rideshare company Uber announced this week that it would partner with the self-driving car startup Cruise LLC, which is owned by General Motors, to begin offering self-driving vehicles starting next year.
Uber shared in a press release that the partnership would see Cruise provide Chevy Bolt self-driving vehicles that would be available to Uber users.
“As the largest mobility and delivery platform, we believe Uber can play an important role in helping to safely and reliably introduce autonomous technology to consumers and cities around the world,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said. “We’re thrilled to partner with Cruise and look forward to launching next year.”
As of October 2023, Cruise was operating almost 600 autonomous vehicles as taxis in San Francisco. However, after two pedestrian accidents and other safety incidents, California withdrew the permit it issued the company to operate in the state.
Federal regulators have also been investigating the company’s cars. These investigations and other incidents have resulted in the company recalling close to 1,000 vehicles, the Verge reported.
Cruise was also operating its taxis in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Phoenix, though it voluntarily suspended operations in those cities.
In June, the company said it was working on bringing its cars back to the road, pending the full results of the federal investigation.
“Cruise combines a culture of innovative technology and safety with a history of manufacturing and automotive excellence,” Cruise wrote in its release.
Now, the company has resumed autonomous driving under supervision in Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix.
“Cruise is on a mission to leverage driverless technology to create safer streets and redefine urban life,” Marc Whitten, the CEO of Cruise, shared in a statement. “We are excited to partner with Uber to bring the benefits of safe, reliable, autonomous driving to even more people, unlocking a new era of urban mobility.”