While students walk through the evening streets of West Campus this summer, there’s something new to look for besides cockroaches and construction: Cruise driverless cars. The intimidatingly futuristic but gentle-looking all-electric Chevy bolts constantly roam the city’s landscape with ease.
Cruise, a new ride-hail service by General Motors, is a look into the future of taxi transportation. Passengers are given a completely automated and driverless experience in a vehicle equipped with sensors, cameras, radars and other technology. However, as a relatively new science, some bumps in the road still exist.
Since Cruise’s introduction into the central Austin area in December 2022, hours of operation range from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. daily. With rides available throughout the night, the service could prove a timely tool for UT students and Austin nightlife lovers to achieve safe transportation around downtown and large parts of campus.
Getting started with Cruise may be the service’s most difficult aspect. To gain access, riders can either add their name to a relatively long waiting list on the Cruise website or obtain an access code from a friend who already has the service.
Requesting a Cruise is similar to calling an Uber or Lyft. When patrons hail a ride through the Cruise app, a white Chevy Bolt arrives promptly. Each driverless car bears a name like Baguette, Flauta or Lobster Roll under the license plate to let customers know they’ve summoned the right vehicle. When entering, users unlock the doors with the app, and three people can comfortably sit in the backseat. The lack of human interaction will appeal to those who dread obligatory small talk with Uber or Lyft drivers.
The sense of security the vehicle’s smooth maneuvering provides is a strong point of the Cruise experience. The hum of the electric motor makes for a tranquil ride, and guests can always end the trip via the Cruise app or touchscreens in the backseat. Cruise skeptics might be surprised to discover that seeing the cars out and about feels more off-putting than being a passenger. Although, observing the steering wheel turn by itself will take some time to get used to.
At this early stage, the routes undoubtedly pose the biggest fault in Cruise’s technology. For example, when trying to commute from West Campus to West 6th Street, users might find that Baguette wants to circle downtown, turning a 15-minute scurry into a 40-minute journey. Although not true for every route, many routes include unnecessary turns and roundabout directions. However, for an innovation likely to revolutionize transportation, some kinks are to be expected.
While still a young technology, the Cruise ride-hail service succeeds in bringing driverless taxis to Austin streets and gaining users’ trust. Although not all functions are perfect, Cruise performs impressively despite being active for less than a year. Despite its infancy, Cruise is a practical service and worth the try.
3 Baguettes out of 5
