Cruise Wins Approval to Charge for Driverless Robotaxi Rides in San Francisco
The California Public Utilities Commission grants Cruise the final permit needed to commercially operate driverless ride-hailing services in San Francisco. The company starts by charging fares for overnight trips in select areas before planning a full citywide expansion.
Cruise receives official approval from the California Public Utilities Commission to charge passengers for driverless robotaxi rides in San Francisco. This crucial permit makes Cruise the only autonomous vehicle company in the city legally allowed to operate a commercial ride-hailing service without a human driver behind the wheel.
The newly approved commercial service operates with strict initial limitations under a passenger safety plan. Cruise vehicles travel at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour on select streets between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., deliberately avoiding the dense urban core during these overnight hours.
Cruise plans to gradually remove these restrictions over the coming months until it offers 24/7 fare-charging rides across the entire city. Meanwhile, competitor Waymo holds a permit to charge for rides in San Francisco only when a human safety operator remains present in the vehicle.