Uber and General Motors' Cruise join forces to instate autonomous vehicles in the field
Uber Technologies and General Motors' Cruise unit have recently announced a partnership that aims to bring autonomous vehicles (AVs) to Uber's ride-hailing platform. The collaboration, revealed in an Aug. 22 press release, signals a significant step forward in the integration of self-driving technology into everyday transportation.
The partnership will initially see Uber customers in San Francisco using Chevy Bolt-based autonomous cars from Cruise starting from September 18, 2025. This marks a significant milestone as it will be the first time Uber riders can select an AV for qualifying rides.
Uber's foray into autonomous cars has not been without incident. In 2018, one of its self-driving vehicles struck and killed a woman in Tempe, Arizona. The safety driver behind the wheel was later convicted. However, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, emphasising the potential role of his company in introducing AVs on a global scale.
Cruise, too, has faced challenges in achieving full autonomy. Recently, the company recalled its entire fleet due to a software issue that has contributed to 10 crashes. Despite these setbacks, Cruise has resumed mapping operations in Phoenix, a first since California regulators suspended its permits last fall following an incident where a robotaxi severely injured a pedestrian in San Francisco.
In June, Cruise units began supervised rides with safety drivers in Phoenix and Dallas. Marc Whitten was named as CEO of Cruise in June, replacing Dan Ammann who left the company in March.
Uber and Cruise's latest deal does not provide details on the partnership's expected timeline or the cities where the service will be first available. The collaboration with Waymo, announced last year, will continue to offer autonomous rides in metro Phoenix. Additionally, Uber launched autonomous deliveries with Waymo earlier this year.
As the partnership moves forward, both companies will work together to ensure the safety and reliability of the AVs, with the ultimate goal of making self-driving technology a viable and accessible option for Uber customers worldwide.
