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| General Motors pulls plug on Cruise robotaxi project | |
| (2 months later) | |
| General Motors has announced that it will stop funding the development of the Cruise self-driving taxi. | General Motors has announced that it will stop funding the development of the Cruise self-driving taxi. |
| The company says it will now "refocus autonomous driving development on personal vehicles". | The company says it will now "refocus autonomous driving development on personal vehicles". |
| GM also pointed to the increasingly competitive robotaxi market as a reason for the move. | GM also pointed to the increasingly competitive robotaxi market as a reason for the move. |
| In October, Tesla boss Elon Musk unveiled the electric car giant's long-awaited robotaxi, the Cybercab, at the Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, California. | In October, Tesla boss Elon Musk unveiled the electric car giant's long-awaited robotaxi, the Cybercab, at the Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, California. |
| GM attributed the change of strategy to "the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business". | GM attributed the change of strategy to "the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business". |
| The company did not say how many Cruise employees could be moved over to GM. | The company did not say how many Cruise employees could be moved over to GM. |
| GM, which owns about 90% of Cruise, said it has agreements with other shareholders that will raise its ownership to more than 97%. | GM, which owns about 90% of Cruise, said it has agreements with other shareholders that will raise its ownership to more than 97%. |
| In December 2023, Cruise said it would cut 900 jobs, about a quarter of its workforce. | In December 2023, Cruise said it would cut 900 jobs, about a quarter of its workforce. |
| Cruise had earlier pulled all of its US vehicles from testing after California halted its driverless testing permit. | Cruise had earlier pulled all of its US vehicles from testing after California halted its driverless testing permit. |
| In October 2023, one of its vehicles hit a pedestrian and dragged her for more than 20ft (6m), leaving her seriously injured. | In October 2023, one of its vehicles hit a pedestrian and dragged her for more than 20ft (6m), leaving her seriously injured. |
| Cruise admitted to submitting a false report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in connection to that crash, resolving a criminal investigation last month. | |
| Federal prosecutors said Cruise employees did not include a description of the pedestrian being dragged as part of their account on the morning after the incident. | Federal prosecutors said Cruise employees did not include a description of the pedestrian being dragged as part of their account on the morning after the incident. |
| Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt left the company a few weeks later. | Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt left the company a few weeks later. |
| On Tuesday, following GM's announcement, Mr Vogt posted on the social media platform X "In case it was unclear before, it is clear now: GM are a bunch of dummies." | |
| The Detroit-based manufacturer's chief executive Mary Barra has previously predicted that the Cruise business could generate $50bn (£39bn) in annual revenue by 2030. | The Detroit-based manufacturer's chief executive Mary Barra has previously predicted that the Cruise business could generate $50bn (£39bn) in annual revenue by 2030. |
| Rival motor manufacturing firms have also struggled with projects to build autonomous vehicles. | Rival motor manufacturing firms have also struggled with projects to build autonomous vehicles. |
| In 2022, Ford and Volkswagen announced that they would shut down Argo AI, their self-driving car joint venture. | In 2022, Ford and Volkswagen announced that they would shut down Argo AI, their self-driving car joint venture. |
| Meanwhile, the emerging robotaxi industry has long attracted major players. | Meanwhile, the emerging robotaxi industry has long attracted major players. |
| As well as Tesla, competitors to create self-driving cabs include Waymo, a subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet - and technology giant Amazon. | As well as Tesla, competitors to create self-driving cabs include Waymo, a subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet - and technology giant Amazon. |