[AutonomousVehicles] Cruise and Honda Launching Robotaxi service in Japan

[Cornelius Butler]

Hi Everyone,
Cruise and Honda announced a new robotaxi service coming to Japan.

Article Link:
https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/19/23923882/gm-honda-launch-cruise-robotaxis-japan-2026

Article Text:

GM and Honda to launch Cruise robotaxis in Japan by 2026


Autonomous vehicle operator Cruise, which is backed by General Motors, will
launch a robotaxi service in Japan by 2026. It’s another sign that GM does
not intend to back down from its commitment to get driverless cars in more
cities as rapidly as possible.

Japan would be Cruise’s second international market, after Dubai. The
announcement is being portrayed as a possible answer to the country’s
driver shortage, which has been exacerbated by Japan’s aging population.
Cruise currently operates robotaxis in several US cities and has said it
plans to launch in 12 more in the years to come.

GM made the announcement alongside Honda, which has a three-year-old
partnership to co-develop a series of affordable electric vehicles. Honda
is also an investor in Cruise, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of GM.
And GM and Honda co-designed the Cruise Origin, a purpose-built autonomous
shuttle that is set to make its debut in the US soon.

“When we think of autonomous vehicles, the benefits are too profound to
ignore,” GM CEO Mary Barra said in a press conference announcing the move.

It’s an interesting move considering the reception that Cruise’s vehicles
have generated in the cities in which it operates. San Francisco, for
example, is split on the fleets of driverless cars roaming its streets.
Some residents are intrigued by the technology or believe driverless
vehicles can make transportation more accessible for people with
disabilities. Others are worried that driverless cars will take away jobs
or exacerbate traffic-congested roads.

City officials, including transit, police, and fire departments, have
expressed serious concerns about driverless vehicles intruding on emergency
scenes, blocking intersections, and obstructing emergency vehicles. They
have also been involved in a number of minor fender benders and rear-end
collisions that have some residents worried about escalation as more are
deployed.

In August, a Cruise robotaxi collided with a fire truck, injuring one
passenger. In response, the company reduced the number of vehicles it had
deployed by half while the city investigated the incident. And earlier this
month, a hit-and-run launched a pedestrian in front of a driverless Cruise
vehicle, trapping her underneath for some time.
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