My ride inspired confidence in self-driving taxis.
Joann took an evening ride in a Cruise robotaxi in San Francisco. Photos by Holly Bogin and Joann Muller
I took a ride in a Cruise driverless taxi last week in San Francisco and, for the first time, I thought, "This might really happen!"Self-driving cars have been promised for years, but the technology is hard, regulations are spotty, and the business case has yet to be proven. Lately, enthusiasm for the whole sector has been flagging following the sudden demise of Ford- and Volkswagen-backed Argo AI.
And yet, here I was, in the back seat of a robotaxi, being chauffeured around San Francisco by a ghost.I met my friend Holly for dinner and invited her to come along as I tried out Cruise's robotaxi.using the Cruise app , and was advised that demand was high so they'd notify me when a car was available.in front of the Hotel Kabuki in Japantown, but the car blew right past us, stopping about 3o feet ahead, apparently the designated pickup spot.
Another time, Apricot waited cautiously while two people got into an Uber that was blocking traffic. The couple laughed and pointed at the driverless car, but it wasn't clear what they were going to do next. I rolled down the window and waved, but was scolded by Apricot to keep my hands and arms inside the car at all times.Yet the car wasn't overly cautious, either. Apricot swung wide to pass a car that was slowing to turn right.
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