Robert L. Ohlson Robert L. Ohlson 
The article is about GM’s Cruise, a driverless car company. GM’s cars are now in San Francisco and people can take it for a ride if they want to. People who go can make sure to tell their friends and family where they are going in case they need help getting back. GM’s Cruise Now Offers San Francisco Public Driverless Taxi Rides.
San Francisco residents are now able to hail a driverless taxi from their smartphones. The self-driving cars, which are owned by GM’s subsidiary, Cruise Automation, will be available in the Downtown and SoMa neighborhoods.
GM’s Cruise Automation is now offering public rides in San Francisco from the city to the airport. The company has been testing its driverless taxi fleet on private roads since January, but now the first round of passengers have been invited to take a ride for free. GM’s first batch of passengers hails from a variety of backgrounds, each with a different reply to the impending technology.
To use Cruise’s self-driving taxi service, you don’t need to be a GM worker. TechCrunch Notes Cruise has made ride-hailing completely driverless available to the public in San Francisco. Although the company initially accepts sign-ups only for a small number of riders, those first trips will be completely free. Cruise stated that more cars will become available and more slots will be made available.
You should be prepared for an unexpected pickup. TechCrunch was told by a spokesperson that the first service is available between 11 PM and 5 AM. Rides will only be provided in specific areas of Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury, and Pacific Heights neighborhoods. According to the spokesperson, Cruise will have the greatest impact on the night runs and they should continue to expand.
Free rides are not always voluntary. Cruise holds all the licenses required to provide driverless service but it does not yet have the California Public Utilities Commission permit to charge for such rides.
Cruise is excited about the launch. The SoftBank Vision Fund has invested $1.35 billion more in Cruise after it lost its CEO, Dan Ammann, in Dec. The cruise allows you to take advantage of the free rides, and also gives you the opportunity to develop autonomous driving technology. This includes the Origin shuttle van. Despite GM’s strong financial position, the firm was not necessarily in crisis. However, this reduces some of their pressure to make money.
