In the wake of serious pedestrian injuries and a federal investigation, state agencies have barred the driverless taxi company from continuing to operate.
Days after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced an investigation into several crashes involving Cruise autonomous vehicles, two California state agencies suspended the licenses of the company’s driverless cars, reports Levi Sumagaysay in CALmatters.
The Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Public Utilities Commission grounded the roughly 150 Cruise driverless cars operating in San Francisco, suspending their licenses and prohibiting them from carrying passengers. Sumagaysay notes that “The suspensions do not affect Cruise’s ability to test its vehicles with safety drivers, according to the DMV,” but the cars are not allowed to carry passengers even with safety drivers.
The move comes just months after the Public Utilities Commission permitted the company to test hundreds of its vehicles in San Francisco over the protests of local officials. Autonomous taxi services remain a hotly contested topic in California, touching on issues from road safety to equity to labor.
FULL STORY: Two state agencies ground Cruise driverless cars for public safety
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
Feds To Investigate Autonomous Car Crashes
The NHTSA has opened an investigation into Cruise self-driving cars after four separate incidents that injured pedestrians in San Francisco.
California Approves Autonomous Cars Over Local Concerns
Despite repeated calls from San Francisco officials to slow the deployment of self-driving cars, a state commission approved expanded access to San Francisco streets.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie