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Cruise, the self-driving unit of GM, introduced at the moment that it might be bringing its robotaxis to Charlotte, NC. The corporate stated that it has began preliminary testing throughout town and can be working in the direction of providing driverless rides. 

Charlotte would be the eighth metropolis that Cruise has began operations in, with the primary seven being San Francisco, the place the corporate relies, Phoenix, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Miami, and most not too long ago Nashville. The corporate has deployed its robotaxis to this point in three cities, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin. 

Cruise has been quickly increasing its robotaxi operations within the final yr. Whereas it took the corporate 33 months to obtain all of the regulatory approval it wanted to start rides in San Francisco, in line with Vogt, for the corporate’s subsequent deployment areas in Phoenix and Austin it took simply three weeks, and the corporate appears to solely be shifting sooner since then. 

Extra not too long ago, Cruise expanded its Arizona service space by 20 occasions, and simply final week, the California Public Utilities Fee (CPUC) voted to grant Cruise its last allow, permitting it to cost for all rides, broaden hourly operations and repair space, and add as many robotaxis to its fleet because it needs. 

Whereas Cruise has had a lot success in rolling out its robotaxi providers, it hasn’t been with out challenges. Earlier this yr, the corporate issued a voluntary recall of 300 Cruise autos with the Nationwide Freeway Transportation Security Administration (NHTSA). The recall was in response to a minor collision the place a Cruise robotaxi hit the again of a San Francisco bus.