On Thursday, the robotaxi branch of General Motors (GM.N), known as Cruise, showed a self-driving vehicle accessible to persons with disabilities. Cruise waits for regulatory approval to produce and deploy vehicles without human control.
The Cruise WAV is based on the company’s Origin driverless car, which does not have a steering wheel or pedals and has room for passengers to sit facing each other. The Cruise WAV is designed to be accessible to those who use wheelchairs.
At the beginning of the previous year, Cruise submitted a petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requesting permission to deploy up to 2,500 Origins per year. Cruise operates a fleet of Chevrolet Bolt vehicles outfitted with its autonomous technology. The NHTSA is anticipated to decide shortly.
On Thursday, Cruise announced that the company anticipates launching the WAV with a pilot for a select number of users in 2019, pending regulatory permissions. Additionally, the company stated that closed-course testing of the vehicle will begin the following month.
There has been criticism leveled at ride-hailing companies, particularly the operators of robotaxis, for not having sufficient wheelchair-accessible vehicles available for disabled people. These individuals frequently experience shortages and large wait times.
The introduction of Cruise WAV also takes place at a pivotal time, as the company and its chief competitor, Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Waymo, have both recently been granted permission to operate their robotaxis in San Francisco at all hours of the day and night, as well as to charge passengers for the service, despite facing significant opposition from locals and city agencies due to concerns regarding public safety and the disruption of life-saving operations by emergency personnel.