Cruise cuts robotaxi fleet in half after multiple incidents in San Francisco

DRIVING CARS. THERE HAS BEEN A STRING OF DANGEROUS INCIDENTS INVOLVING ROBO TAXIS IN SAN FRANCISCO CAUSING MAJOR SAFETY CONCERNS ON THE ROAD. THE CALIFORNIA DMV NOW ASKING THE COMPANY TO REDUCE THEIR VEHICLE FLEET BY HALF. JAKE WARD HAS THE DETAILS. >> Reporter: IT IS THE LATEST TRAFFIC JAM PUTTING THE FUTURE OF SELF DRIVING CARS INTO QUESTION. MULTIPLE DRIVERLESS CARS STALLED A BUSY SAN FRANCISCO INTERSECTION. AND OFFICER TRYING ANYTHING TO GET IT MOVING. >> WE SAW THE TRAFFIC WARDEN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DRIVERLESS CAR. IT WAS KNOCKING ON THE WINDOW TRYING TO TALKING TO THE SPEAKERS. >> Reporter: THIS LATEST MISHAP ADDING TO THE PILE OF TO PLACE DAYS AFTER REGULATORS ALLOWED TO COMPANIES TO EXPAND THEIR FLEETS TO 24/7 OPERATION. THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES URGED THAT ONE OF THE COMPANY SCALED-BACK, REQUESTING CREWS TO CUT THEIR FLEET IN HALF. THERE WAS THIS CLOSE CALL JUST DAYS EARLIER. IT SHOWS THE MOMENT AFTER A DRIVERLESS CAR WITH A PASSENGER INSIDE COLLIDED WITH A FIRE TRUCK. POLICE SAY FIRE TRUCK WAS DRIVING WITH LIGHTS AND SIRENS ON AS HE ENTERED THE INTERSECTION. CRUISE AS THEIR CAR HAD A GREEN LIGHT. THE PASSENGER WAS TREATED ON SCENE WITH MINOR INJURIES. >> I AM SEEING AT LEAST ONE INCIDENT A DAY NOW WITH AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES. THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME. >> THERE ARE FOUR CRUISE CARS BLOCKING. >> Reporter: TODAY CRUISE REDUCING THEIR FLEET IN HALF TO ABOUT 200 ROBO TAXIS, SAY THEY COMPLIED WITH THE DMV ORDER. A SPEEDBUMP FOR THE COMPANY THAT MARKETS AND SELLS AS A SAFE AND CONVENIENT ALTERNATIVE. CRUISE HIGHLIGHTED THEIR TECHNOLOGY ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEY SAY THEIR VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED IN FEWER COLLISIONS AND HUMAN DRIVERS WORK IN A COMPARABLE DRIVING ENVIRONMENT.

Channel: NBC News

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Id: UBq9EnJOZKE

Length: 2min 28sec (148 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 23 2023