Cruise, General Motors' (GM's) self-driving vehicle subsidiary, is reintroducing its robotaxi fleet in Phoenix, Arizona focusing on manual driving to collect mapping and road data. This marks the first relaunch since the company suspended its nationwide operations (including Phoenix) in October 2023 due to safety and regulatory concerns.

This approach aims to validate and refine the technology for autonomous driving through data collection and analysis. Cruise has not disclosed when it will return to driverless operations.

The company is also working on enhancing incident response and crisis management protocols as well as improving engagement with first responders. This effort is part of a broader strategy to address safety concerns and rebuild trust in its autonomous vehicle technology.

Analyst QuickTake: Cruise’s previous expansion efforts were marred by technological malfunctions and regulatory challenges, notably following an incident where a pedestrian was injured by a Cruise vehicle in San Francisco, leading to the suspension of its permits in California. Subsequently, the company voluntarily withdrew its driverless taxi operations nationwide. The company's move to manually driven vehicles signifies a step back from its rapid expansion strategy, which was also criticized for potentially compromising safety.