General Motors’ Cruise autonomous division has had its ups and downs in recent years, though it has seen more of the downs than anything else. It recently announced the decision to stop the development of the Origin, an autonomous pod-like vehicle the company initially planned to release in the “tens of thousands.”
GM cited regulatory issues relating to the vehicle’s lack of a steering wheel or pedals, as well as its unique interior seating configuration. The Origin project began in 2020 with a partnership between GM and Honda, but the effort lost steam, and the automaker cut production in November 2023 after its Bolt EV autonomous taxis ran into several issues during testing.
Now, Cruise plans to use the Chevy Bolt EUV in place of the Origin, relying on a vehicle that has already passed safety hurdles. GM CEO Mary Barra said, “The Cruise team will also simplify their path to scale by focusing their next autonomous vehicle on the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt, instead of the Origin. This addresses the regulatory uncertainty we faced with the Origin because of its unique design. In addition, per-unit costs will be much lower, which will help Cruise optimize its resources.”
Cruise had a difficult 2023, with California pulling its testing permits after high-profile crashes and an injured pedestrian. The company has since deployed vehicles in other cities, including Dallas and Phoenix, but the vehicles’ autonomous driving tech has been disabled.
[Images: GM, Shutterstock]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
