Members of the US public can now use fully autonomous taxis after Cruise, the company behind the cabs, released a fleet of around 100 vehicles to take passengers from A to B.
A BBC journalist was one of a handful there for the launch but wasn’t too impressed with the concept – which although out on the roads is apparently still in ‘test’ phase – comparing the experience to ‘bad driving’ on BBC Breakfast this morning.
This was after the completely driverless taxi failed to navigate a bus that was re-joining the road having stopped to pick up passengers.
Despite there being a clear lane ahead, the taxi essentially panicked and stopped.
Cruise runs a service similar to Uber – in which users download an app and request a pick up – between 10pm and 5.30am whilst roads are quieter - using driverless Chevrolet Bolts that are powered by AI software and scores of sensors.
The company requested permission to expand its fleet by as much as 50 times in a bid to reach $1bn of revenue before 2025 by the San Fran authorities have highlighted numerous concerns in a 36-page response that has, so far at least, put the brakes on the expansion.