Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) and Cruise, both leaders in the transportation revolution, have unveiled a multiyear strategic partnership to integrate Cruise’s autonomous vehicles into the Uber platform.
The partnership is set to begin next year with a fleet of Chevy Bolt-based autonomous vehicles. Uber riders may have the option to choose a Cruise self-driving car for their trip when booking through the Uber app.
Why does this matter? This collaboration represents a significant step forward in the adoption of autonomous vehicle technology.
Unlocking a new era of urban mobility
Cruise aims to build the world’s most advanced self-driving vehicles, which will promote safer roadways and connect people with the places and experiences they value.
As of June 2024, Cruise has resumed supervised autonomous driving in Phoenix, Arizona, and Houston and Dallas, Texas, while continuing its testing efforts in Dubai.
Since 2016, Cruise has been majority-owned by General Motors. The company has also attracted investments from industry leaders such as Honda, Microsoft, T. Rowe Price, and Walmart.
Marc Whitten, CEO of Cruise says the company is on a mission to leverage driverless technology. He says it’s to create safer streets and redefine urban life. “We are excited to partner with Uber to bring the benefits of safe, reliable, autonomous driving to even more people. [This will] unlock a new era of urban mobility,” says Whitten.
Uber helps shape future of autonomous vehicles
Uber began in 2008 on a cold winter night in Paris when Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp struggled to find a ride. This sparked the idea for Uber, and the app was launched a year later.
“As the largest mobility and delivery platform, we believe Uber can play an important role in helping to safely and reliably introduce autonomous technology to consumers and cities around the world,” says Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO.
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Photo Credit: Cruise
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About the author
Sharl is a qualified journalist. He has over 10 years’ experience in the media industry, including positions as an editor of a magazine and Business Editor of a daily newspaper. Sharl also has experience in logistics specifically operations, where he worked with global food aid organisations distributing food into Africa. Sharl enjoys writing business stories and human interest pieces.
