General Motors made the decision to close down its Cruise robotaxi business, marking a rocky start for the self-driving car industry in the U.S. after several major players faced setbacks, including Uber and Ford. Despite this, Alphabet-owned Waymo emerged as a leader in the autonomous vehicle market, with the company experiencing mainstream adoption and commercial viability in 2024. Waymo’s service operates in multiple U.S. cities, completing millions of paid autonomous trips and receiving a multi-billion dollar investment from Alphabet.
Meanwhile, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk unveiled the concept of Tesla’s “Cybercab” robotaxi and promised to launch a commercial robotaxi service as early as 2025. Tesla has faced criticism for not meeting previous deadlines related to autonomous vehicles and operating without the necessary permits and licenses. Zoox, acquired by Amazon, has been making strides in the AV industry as well, developing self-driving shuttles and expanding its services to more cities.
On the other hand, GM’s Cruise faced closure as the company shifted focus to developing personal autonomous vehicles instead of robotaxis. Cruise paused its driverless operations following issues that led to investigations and a suspension of its licenses in California. Despite demand for robotaxi rides in the market, GM decided to exit the business, leading to criticism from industry insiders. Overall, the autonomous vehicle industry has seen significant progress in the U.S., with Waymo leading the way in mainstream adoption and commercial viability.
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