CNBC was informed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles that Cruise's robotaxi fleet is being cut by 50% in San Francisco. The DMV is currently communicating with Cruise and law enforcement to investigate the situation and has requested they lessen their operational vehicles by 50% pending the results of the investigation and any corrective actions taken to ensure better safety on the roads. There have recently been multiple crashes related to Cruise's fleet.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) informed CNBC that Cruise will be reducing its robotaxi fleet in San Francisco by 50%. This step was taken in response to multiple crashes involving Cruise autonomous vehicles that reportedly stalled at intersections in the city this week, including an incident on Thursday night when the car collided with a fire truck.The development is a hindrance for Cruise, a General Motors subsidiary which, after receiving permission from the DMV, had launched a for-pay robotaxi service throughout San Francisco with a waitlist. This occurrence is part of the ongoing debate over driverless cars in San Francisco, with some people saying they are potentially hazardous and can disrupt services from first responders, while others maintain that these vehicles are innovative and will make travelling in the city more affordable and convenient.A DMV spokesman stated that the agency is investigating the recent accidents with Cruise vehicles in San Francisco, adding that they have asked Cruise to decrease its count of operating vehicles by 50% until the investigation is finished and the appropriate corrective measures have been taken to ensure road safety. Cruise agreed to this arrangement, agreeing to have a maximum of 150 vehicles operating during the evening and only 50 during the day. Earlier in August, Cruise had reported having 300 cars active during the night and 100 during the day.A spokesman for Cruise was not available for comment outside of working hours. In a blog post on Friday, Cruise's San Francisco general manager wrote that the accident with the fire truck had been caused by multiple factors, including buildings around the intersection that block the driver's view. Other situations reported last weekend included a Cruise vehicle stuck in cement, and one with a passenger being hit by a driver who ran a red light. Lora Kolodny of CNBC contributed to this story.
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