Uber will begin offering self-driving cruise cars, shares in the fall

Uber Technologies Inc. plans to start offering Cruise LLC self-driving cars to customers on its travel platform next year.

Once the multi-year partnership between Uber and Cruise begins, an Uber rider requesting a qualified ride will have the option to choose a Cruise autonomous vehicle, the companies said in a joint statement Thursday.

Cruise of General Motors Co. has been trying to regain traction after grounding its fleet in October following previous management’s mishandling of a collision with a pedestrian. One of the San Francisco firm’s vehicles struck and dragged a pedestrian, who was hospitalized for months. California regulators revoked Cruise’s driverless license, claiming the company failed to provide details about the incident.

Related: Cruise GM has recalled nearly 1,200 robotaxies to shut down the American probe

Uber shares fell as much as 4.4 percent in after-market trading Thursday to $70.05.

Cruise is targeting a return to fully autonomous rides later this year and possibly charging fares by early 2025, Bloomberg reported last month, citing people familiar with the matter.

Uber said the offering would begin early next year in a single U.S. market to begin with, while declining to disclose the location.

Top photo: An autonomous taxi cruises in San Francisco, California, U.S., Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. California regulators are poised to decide whether two rival robotaxi services can offer round-the-clock rides in San Francisco despite to growing concerns about recurring incidents that have caused driverless vehicles to block traffic or endanger public safety, the AP reported. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

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Autonomous personal vehicles