General Motors’ Cruise Robotaxis Occasionally Rely on Human Assistance

General Motors’ autonomous vehicle division, Cruise, has faced numerous challenges in recent months. These setbacks have resulted in traffic pileups, car accidents, and even injuries to pedestrians. As a result, Cruise has temporarily suspended public testing and issued a recall for some of its vehicles. Surprisingly, it has been revealed that Cruise’s robotaxis are not entirely autonomous as previously believed. The company has admitted to employing “remote assistant agents” (humans) to assist the vehicles in navigation.

Human Assistance for Cruise Robotaxis

Cruise has disclosed that it employs one human assistant for every 15 to 20 driverless vehicles. However, these assistants do not control or steer the cars remotely. Instead, they provide “wayfinding intel” to aid the vehicles in challenging urban areas. Humans interact with the cars approximately four percent of the time, primarily in difficult-to-navigate locations.

Testing Phase and Future of Autonomous Vehicles

Given that the robotaxis are still in the testing phase, it is not surprising that human intervention is occasionally required. However, this revelation highlights the extensive research and development needed before autonomous vehicles can be considered fully ready for public use.

Cruise is currently facing regulatory scrutiny after one of its vehicles injured a pedestrian in California in October. The company was ordered to cease operations by state officials who found that it had misrepresented the safety and functionality of its vehicles.

[Image: Iv-Olga via Shutterstock]

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