As electric vehicles gain more attention among consumers, several companies have already begun on the next phase of a zero-emissions future: self-driving cars. Cruise, which is a subsidiary of General Motors, has just reached another milestone in its autonomous vehicle project, and will now be able to remove human backup drivers from its self-driving cars.
The company has announced it has received a permit from the Department of Motor Vehicles in California which will allow its autonomous cars to operate without human backup drivers. Cruise plans to begin testing its self-driving electric cars without a human present on San Francisco streets before the end of the year, and is the first of its kind to do so in a major US city.
Although Cruise’s self-driving vehicles have yet to be launched for public use, it certainly is a new milestone towards a fully-automated, emission-free future. The DMV permit will allow Cruise to test up to five autonomous vehicles without a backup driver on San Francisco streets, but the vehicles cannot exceed 30 miles per hour. However, testing cannot be conducted on days when there is heavy rain or fog present, and the company needs to provide evidence of insurance equal to $5 million in the event of an accident.
Information for this briefing was found via Cruise. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
