GM's Cruise Authorized To Provide Passenger Robotaxi Service in California

Image source: CruiseGeneral Motors Company’s (NYSE: GM) majority-owned autonomous car subsidiary Cruise was authorized by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to provide passenger service to the public in its prototype robotaxis. On Friday, the CPUC announced that Cruise was issued the first driverless permit through the agency’s Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service Program. “The effective deployment of autonomous vehicles can also transform vehicle manufacturing, maintenance, and service business models to create new jobs and industries for the California workforce." The permit is one of several regulatory requirements autonomous vehicle developers must meet before deploying commercially. All except Cruise are yet not authorized to provide passenger service to the public without a safety driver behind the wheel.