Sunday, March 31, 2024

After robotaxi dragged pedestrian 20 feet, Cruise founder and CEO resigns

cruise robotaxi

Cruise will resume manual driving of its autonomous vehicles to create maps and gather road information in certain cities, starting with Phoenix, the company said Tuesday. The GM subsidiary already had a presence in Phoenix before it pulled its entire U.S.-based fleet last year following an incident in San Francisco that left a pedestrian stuck under and dragged by a Cruise robotaxi. In 2017, Cruise was conducting testing on public roads with Cruise AVs in San Francisco, Scottsdale, Arizona, and the metropolitan Detroit area. This risk is higher per mile during their current trial phase compared to where it will be in the future when they are deployed. All teams have set a target that their future miles will entail less risk—much less risk—than typical human drivers, when the robotaxis are more mature.

Are Cruise Robotaxis Pushing Too Hard? Or Too Slow?

It is expected that regulators also would not allow it to scale if it doesn’t do this. By replacing fallible drivers with (presumably) far less fallible autonomous vehicles (AVs), we could potentially slash the number of serious accidents on our roads and save countless lives. In the week that followed, Cruise vehicles were involved in a series of incidents, including 10 robotaxis stalling and causing gridlock, a vehicle that drove into wet cement, and a crash with a fire truck that left a passenger injured.

More from this stream Self-driving cars: Google and others map the road to automated vehicles

At some point this transition must be made, both because it is needed for production, and it limits the speed of scaling and makes costs untenable if delayed too long. Cruise had cleared a significant hurdle last August when California regulators approved its request to begin operating its robotaxi service throughout San Francisco at all hours — over the strenuous objections of city officials — only to have it all unravel in early October. Cruise, the self-driving unit under GM, has made its robotaxi service accessible to Android phone users through the development of an Android app, reported first by TechCrunch.

GM’s Cruise robotaxi service targeted in Justice Department inquiry into San Francisco collision

GM’s Cruise robotaxis are back in Phoenix — but people are driving them - TechCrunch

GM’s Cruise robotaxis are back in Phoenix — but people are driving them.

Posted: Tue, 09 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

They have also been involved in a number of minor fender benders and rear-end collisions that have some residents worried about escalation as more are deployed. Following the incident, the National Highway Traffic Safety opened a safety investigation to determine whether Cruise’s driverless vehicles pose a risk to pedestrians. The company’s AVs are “encroaching” on pedestrians in crosswalks and elsewhere and could pose a risk to their safety, the agency said in its report. In August, a Cruise robotaxi collided with a fire truck, injuring one passenger. In response, the company reduced the number of vehicles it had deployed by half while the city investigated the incident. And on October 2nd, a hit-and-run in San Francisco launched a pedestrian in front of a driverless Cruise vehicle, trapping her underneath for some time.

Cruise Resumes Robotaxi Tests—Months After Pausing Operations Amid Safety Concerns

cruise robotaxi

Notably, Cruise is calling its approach “multi-generational,” meaning it intends to update the design based on feedback from users. “Designing a self-driving vehicle that accommodates as many wheelchair users as possible is a distinct technical challenge that has never been done before,” the company added. By Andrew J. Hawkins, transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. We believe driverless technology has the potential to save lives, enhance access and improve communities.

Cruise's announcement comes almost a month after San Francisco officials sent a letter to California regulators, asking them to slow Cruise's (and Waymo's) expansion plans. Officials believe these companies have to significantly improve their technologies before expanding, or else they "could quickly exhaust emergency response resources and could undermine public confidence in all automated driving technology." Cruise CEO and co-founder Kyle Vogt resigned weeks later, while nine other executives and one-fourth of the company’s workforce were also laid off. Cruise will evaluate its autonomous vehicles without human drivers as part of its next testing phase, the company said. The vehicles—driving on public roads—will be accompanied by a “safety driver” behind the wheel who will monitor the vehicle and take over if needed. The teams also claim that their vehicles already (after millions of miles of operation) have better safety records than the typical human driver.

The revelations about the latest troubles facing Detroit-based GM and San Francisco-based Cruise came in a report reviewing how things were handled after the pedestrian was hurt. GM didn’t release any details about the nature of the Justice Department’s investigation, or of another one by the U.S. A company spokesman would only say GM is cooperating with authorities. "As for what's next for me, I plan to spend time with my family and explore some new ideas. Thanks for the great ride!" Vogt wrote. Vogt expressed optimism about Cruise's future without him, saying the team is "executing on a solid, multi-year roadmap and an exciting product vision." If you have a comment about this article or if you have a tip for a future Freethink story, please email us at [email protected].

Waymo, Cruise and Zoox Inch Forward Ahead of Tesla Joining Robotaxi Race - Bloomberg

Waymo, Cruise and Zoox Inch Forward Ahead of Tesla Joining Robotaxi Race.

Posted: Mon, 15 Apr 2024 11:04:04 GMT [source]

The natural instinct of these companies to not be too transparent is against their interests here—the reality is that keeping the public informed and confident in these vehicles is necessary to not generate the negative attention which leads to investigations like this. Of concern to me have been a number of incidents that appear to fit in a category I might call “that should not happen with pilot-level project.” Incidents will happen, but you want them to be the sort of incidents that you do a pilot project to discover. Each mistake made by these vehicles is generally a good thing—a problem discovered that can now be fixed and won’t be repeated, at least specifically. Some of Cruise’s incidents have raised concern with me, and may have with the DMV.

Even as Cruise expanded to new cities in the second half of 2023, its robotaxis were routinely malfunctioning in cities like San Francisco and Austin, disrupting the flow of traffic, public transit and first responders. A team needs to be credible — there must be a decent case that they will, in the future, produce vehicles which surpass human safety levels to deliver this future dividend. At present, most teams have invested very large amounts and their success depends on pulling this off, so their financial interests are aligned with the public interest. As long as those interests can be aligned, good results are more likely. The DMV action came three weeks after a Cruise vehicle hit and dragged a pedestrian in San Francisco.

cruise robotaxi

"For example," Elshenawy wrote in a blog post, "stop sign blow-throughs are 46x times more frequent in San Francisco than in suburban areas." The company currently offers a free driverless service in downtown and central Austin, including the University of Texas campus, from 9 p.m. The company said in March it would begin testing its Origins in the city within the coming weeks but has not confirmed if it has done so. Cruise first soft-launched its robotaxi service in Chandler, a city southeast of Phoenix, in December 2022.

That means Cruise can operate delivery services for a fee using its self-driving cars without a safety driver. All autonomous vehicle operators need approval from the Public Utility Commission to charge passengers for rides in the state. Fire delays (and interference at fire scenes) are a more challenging problem. The fire department, at the CPUC hearings, reminded the commission that in the wrong circumstances, a fire can grow very quickly in a minute or two, and as such a few minutes delay can have extreme results. At the same time, every emergency vehicle encounters a few minutes of delay on our crowded streets — human drivers are far from perfect at yielding as they should and crowded streets may simply not have a path. Those minutes of delay don’t automatically end in tragedy, but they do create a risk of it.

After paring the size of the core auto business overseas, Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra will lay out a road to growth. Cruise, in which GM has a majority stake, hopes to start charging for rides next year with a modified version of the Chevrolet Bolt electric car. Ammann is expected to say that if California Public Utility Commission approvals are obtained, the company could start offering shared ride services in 2023 with its Origin autonomous shuttle. It will be built alongside the Hummer EV and electric Chevrolet Silverado pickup in GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant. Last week, Cruise finished its preliminary testing of driverless cars in Charlotte and began initial tests in Raleigh. People who are eligible to ride in the Cruise robotaxis during the day, and in other parts of the city, are not charged a fee.

At launch, the service area was limited to one corner of San Francisco, but on November 1, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt announced that the company was ready to begin serving nearly the entire city. The company also acquired startup Voyage in March in an effort to bring in tech talent. Part of GM’s investor presentation will show how services like SuperCruise can bring in recurring subscription revenue.

Activist investor Engine No. 1, which has said it invests in companies that have a positive impact on workers, communities and the environment, disclosed Monday that its stake in GM is passive. Vogt said in September at a Goldman Sachs event that Cruise partly chose Japan to test how its autonomous tech does on streets where people drive on the left side of the road. Cruise began mapping Dubai in July 2022 in preparation for a planned launch in 2023.

Every time you drive, you place yourself, and other unwitting people at some amount of mortal risk. This is not minor—driving is by far the riskiest thing most of us do, and the most risk we place on others. We tolerate incredible amounts of this risk, and often for minimal gain. It is well documented how speed creates significant risk on the roads, but almost all of us have done a lot of speeding simply to get to a social event a few minutes or seconds earlier.

They put a particular focus on safety incidents where their vehicle has been at fault, which they report are very, very rare. Charging for self-driving vehicle services would be a significant step for Cruise and other companies that have spent billions trying to get their technology ready and regulatory permission to run cars without a human safety driver. Technological progress and establishing approvals for robotic driving have taken longer than anticipated, making revenue elusive for startups. Cruise had to back off plans to deploy robotaxis in 2019 because it needed more time for performance and safety checks. GM’s regulatory approval likely hinges on how the company responds to questions surrounding the safety of its current crop of autonomous vehicles.

Cruises: Norwegian Cruise Line Cruise Deals NCL Cruises

cruise liners

But I only book with third-party operators if the ship docks right at the city I want to explore because I never want to miss the all-aboard time. If you're looking for a unique excursion that still gives you the highlights of a European city, I recommend booking a food tour. I've done tours in places like Amsterdam, Budapest, and Paris, and I've never been disappointed. There are no paid vacations or pensions for service, non-management crew, depending on the level of the position and the type of the contract. Non-service and management crew members get paid vacation, medical, retirement options, and can participate in the company's group insurance plan.

Ready to start planning your next getaway? Start exploring cruise deals now.

Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. The line's biggest ships are more than 20% bigger than almost any others afloat (only MSC Cruises has ships that come close in size) and feature every type of amusement imaginable, from rock climbing walls and surfing pools to Broadway shows and ice skating rinks. Popular with middle-aged couples, retirees and multigenerational families, the "Love Boat" line's ships aren't as flashy (or big, for the most part) as those of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, and that's just the way its customers like it. Itinerary-wise, Oceania is known for destination-intensive voyages that typically are 10 nights or more in length, with some globe-circling trips as long as 180 days. In short, Celebrity aims for sophisticates, not the party crowd (although it's not a luxury product). Below, you'll find our quick guide to some of the most popular cruise brands.

Cruise Ships

The tours are usually led by locals, which means the guides can also give you some good recommendations if you have time before you need to return to the ship. Food tours can be booked through third-party travel operators, like TripAdvisor or Viator, and offer the chance to see some of the major landmarks of a city, try local dishes, and learn some history all in one outing. Some ports of call, like Nice, France, were easy to get around, but others like Rome were packed to the gills. Enrich your cruise vacation with up to 6 Free Offers with Norwegian's Free At Sea promotion. Choose from Free Unlimited Open Bar, Free Specialty Dining, Free Airfare for 2nd Guest, Free Shore Excursions, Free WiFi and Free 3rd & 4th Guests. Fans of upscale hotel chain Ritz-Carlton will feel at home on one of this line's yacht-like vessels.

cruise liners

List of cruise lines by size

My biggest tip for any cruise — but especially for Americans traveling to Europe for a Mediterranean cruise — is to arrive at your embarkation city at least a day before your sailing starts. As someone who's taken over 50 cruises all over the world, I know firsthand how popular cruising is this year. But one seabound itinerary people often forget to add to their bucket lists is a Mediterranean cruise. The number of cruise tourists worldwide in 2005 was estimated at some 14 million.

Earn your wilderness badge as you cruise between the Alaska glaciers, pan for gold in prospecting towns, and trek across the rugged tundra on an Alaska vacation. And savor a burst of flavors throughout culture-rich ports in the Mediterranean, the British Isles, Scandinavia and beyond on an unforgettable cruise through Europe. No matter where in the world you choose to wander, cruises can take you deep into top-rated cruise ports and off-the-beaten-path gems, so you can experience each one like a local.

If you have the flexibility to travel during the shoulder season or off season, you’ll likely enjoy big savings on popular stateroom categories, like Balconies and even Suites. Among cruise lines, some are direct descendants of the traditional passenger shipping lines (such as Cunard), while others were founded from the 1960s specifically for cruising. Ocean liner services aimed at passengers almost ceased in the 1970s and 1980s. The Rotterdam was put on permanent cruise service, as was the France, albeit modified and renamed Norway in 1980, as part of Norwegian Cruise Line. This made the Norway, by then the largest passenger vessel in the world, the first "mega-cruise ship".

The Princess Fleet

A cruise vacation is also a great option if you’re traveling with the whole family, especially when you opt for a Royal Caribbean cruise. All of the ships in this cruise line’s fleet offer family-friendly experiences for guests of all ages. Even little ones will find plenty of ways to play with spaces and activities designed for tots to tweens. One of the top reasons savvy travelers love cruising, though, is because of the incredible value it offers. With Royal Caribbean, your cruise fare includes access to most of the ship’s attractions, select dining venues and all of the entertainment onboard. If you want to make your experience even more all-inclusive, you can opt for beverage and specialty dining packages that cover drinks and dinner at some of the most exclusive restaurants in the fleet.

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas: Death-defying 55ft dive on the ship in stunning video: 'How is this all - Daily Mail

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas: Death-defying 55ft dive on the ship in stunning video: 'How is this all.

Posted: Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:25:03 GMT [source]

This France-based line is a specialist in expedition cruising, a type of cruising that involves traveling to remote, hard-to-reach places on small, hardy vessels that carry their own landing craft. Oceania has carved out a niche with relatively small, upscale ships that offer a significant upgrade from mass-market vessels but aren't quite as fancy (or pricey) as luxury offerings. A storied line with roots that go back to the 1800s, this three-ship brand is perhaps best known for its 2,695-passenger flagship, Queen Mary 2.

"Excellent service, attractive ship with plenty of open space, and cabins are nicely appointed," said one voter about the Seabourn Encore. "Undoubtedly the best cruise line ever," said another, who traveled aboard the Seabourn Ovation. It’s an age-old question — does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a “wait-and-see” approach? If you’re booking a cruise vacation, you’ll find there are benefits to both strategies.

Whether you’re looking to book a short getaway or a longer adventure to far-flung destinations, Royal Caribbean makes it easy to save big on everything from your cruise fare to special experiences onboard and onshore. The first step to making sure you get the best deals is to join the cruise line’s email list. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive regular updates on all the latest offers, like deals by destination, kids sail free promotions and flash sales.

In addition to security checkpoints, passengers are often given a ship-specific identification card, which must be shown in order to get on or off the ship. This prevents people boarding who are not entitled to do so, and also ensures the ship's crew are aware of who is on the ship.[83] The Cruise Ship ID cards are also used as the passenger's room key. There is often a central galley responsible for serving all major restaurants aboard the ship, though specialty restaurants may have their own separate galleys. Dine, dance, laugh, and relax with onboard activities, premier entertainment, and unforgettable shore excursions. Its six vessels carry just 148 to 342 passengers — fewer than fit on a single big-ship lifeboat — and are wonderfully intimate. The cruising arm of Ritz-Carlton has been in operation for just a bit over a year, and the jury still is out on where it ranks in the pantheon of luxury cruise brands.

Its seven ships feature a relaxed, country club-like ambience and inspired dining that appeal to a mostly older crowd. Tradition long has been a touchstone for this storied line, which dates to 1873 and is known for carefully crafted, globe-circling itineraries on midsize ships. The list of brands includes everything from giant companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, which are household names, to lesser-known small operators such as Windstar Cruises. There are more than two dozen lines marketing to North Americans — no two alike. Some of the major European tourist destinations have strict dress codes — typically everyone must at least cover their shoulders and knees out of respect.

Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. It’s also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings — but only if the itinerary you’re interested in hasn’t sold out yet. The following is a list of defunct ocean cruise lines where their shipping line is still in service. Another leader in luxury cruising, this seven-ship brand offers all-suite vessels, top-notch service and elegant cuisine.

It all starts with the boldest cruise ships at sea — and ours have won awards for everything from world class dining and spectacular entertainment, to record-setting onboard thrills and groundbreaking innovation. Some UK cruise lines base their ships out of Barbados for the Caribbean season, operating direct charter flights out of the UK. There are also smaller cruise lines that cater to a more intimate feeling among their guests. The three largest cruise operators are Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean International, and Star Cruises/Norwegian Cruise Lines. These engineering wonders take home awards every year for their cutting-edge design, first-of-their-kind attractions, world class dining and accommodations, and unforgettable experiences.

The 9 Best Home Generators of 2024

Table Of Content Generac XT8500EFI 8500 Watt Electric-Start Portable Generator Transfer Switch The 9 Best Home Generators of 2024 Home Backu...