California Regulators Order Cruise to Halve San Francisco Robotaxi Fleet After Crash
The California DMV requires Cruise to cut its driverless fleet in half following a collision with a fire truck and a string of other concerning incidents. The mandate comes just days after the company wins approval to expand its commercial operations across the city.
California regulators order Cruise to immediately cut its San Francisco robotaxi fleet by 50% following a crash involving a fire truck. The California Department of Motor Vehicles mandates that the GM subsidiary operate no more than 50 driverless vehicles during the day and 150 at night while the state investigates recent concerning incidents. The agency emphasizes that public safety is its top priority and warns that it has the authority to suspend or revoke Cruise's permits if it finds an unreasonable risk to the public.
Cruise confirms that it is complying with the regulatory request and defends its overall safety record. The company points out that human drivers cause fatal crashes daily on American roadways and argues that its autonomous vehicles positively impact overall road safety. Despite this confidence, Cruise experiences a series of recent snafus, including at least 10 driverless cars stalling and blocking traffic in the city.
This sudden fleet reduction threatens to complicate the commercial expansion plans that Cruise finalized just one week ago. On August 10, the California Public Utilities Commission grants Cruise and Waymo final permits to operate 24 hours a day, charge for rides, and grow their fleets throughout San Francisco. The Thursday night crash with the emergency vehicle, which leaves a passenger injured, now puts a major roadblock in front of those newly expanded operations.