Cruise Wins Approval to Charge for Driverless Robotaxis in San Francisco
General Motors' Cruise receives a landmark permit to commercially operate driverless robotaxis in San Francisco. The service faces strict initial limits on hours and location but paves the way for 24/7 paid rides.
Cruise, the self-driving subsidiary of General Motors, officially earns the right to charge passengers for driverless robotaxi rides in San Francisco. The California Public Utilities Commission grants the company a driverless deployment permit, which serves as the final regulatory hurdle for launching a commercial ride-hailing service. This milestone makes Cruise the only autonomous vehicle operator in the city authorized to run a paid, fully driverless taxi service.
The newly approved service operates under strict safety limitations that restrict trips to a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour. Rides take place only between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on select streets, deliberately avoiding the dense urban core of the city. These conditions represent a slight expansion from the free driverless rides Cruise has been offering since February, adding an extra hour and a half to the overnight window.
Cruise views this initial approval as a stepping stone toward a much larger operation across San Francisco. A company spokesperson shares plans to gradually expand the service area, operating hours, and charging capabilities in the coming months until achieving 24/7 paid rides throughout the entire city. Meanwhile, main competitor Waymo holds a permit to charge for rides only when a human safety operator remains in the vehicle.