Cruise can now charge for its driver-free rides in San Francisco, but only at night.
. Unlike Cruise though, Waymo’s rides were only approved on the condition that a human operator is present during each drive.That doesn’t mean that the Commission is going completely hands-off with these vehicles, though. According to thepassed down by the CPUC, Cruise will initially be limited to a 30-car electric vehicle fleet, and those cars are restricted to roving around San Fransisco’s less congested neighborhoods. Rides can only happen between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
All things considered, it’s a small price to pay. West noted in his blog post that California’s decision is “a giant leap for our mission here at Cruise to save lives, help save the planet, and save people time and money,” and a “major milestone” for the autonomous vehicle industry as a whole. He went on to note that Cruise would be debuting these fared rides “gradually.”