Cruise Origin: General Motors’ first robotaxi will be tested in San Franscisco
For the first time, General Motors will test on the road a vehicle designed from the beginning to be a robotaxi.
Cruise , a spinoff of General Motors, wants to start testing its new robotaxi in the city of San Francisco. Testing of the unmanned vehicle fleet could begin as early as next year. General Motors has filed a permit application with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
The new self-driving vehicle, the Cruise Origin , would be tested on public roads in San Francisco. This experimental phase represents an important test bed for the company, which would finally have a way to prove the maturity of its technology. Recently, Cruise itself was the protagonist of an embarrassing accident: several of its robotaxis had suddenly stopped, creating major inconvenience and blocking traffic.
GM has submitted a request to be able to test its robotaxis at a maximum speed of 56 km/h, moreover they will be able to circulate exclusively in some specific districts of San Francisco.
For the first time, General Motors will road test a vehicle designed from the outset to be a robotaxi — unlike Cruise’s other experimental vehicles, which are derived from traditional vehicles such as the Chevrolet Bolt. The Cruise Origin looks like a shuttle and in the standard version it will have no steering wheel or pedals.
