General Motors (GM) and Honda announced their collaboration with Cruise, GM’s self-driving unit, to introduce a driverless ride service in Japan by early 2026. By utilizing an app on their smartphones, customers will have the convenience of summoning a self-driving vehicle to transport them to their desired destination. Initially, the service will operate with a limited fleet of a few dozen self-driving vehicles exclusively in central Tokyo, with plans to expand to a larger fleet of 500 vehicles.
To facilitate this autonomous ride service, GM, Cruise, and Honda plan to establish a joint venture in the first half of 2024. This partnership aims to eventually extend beyond Tokyo, demonstrating their commitment to introducing this revolutionary technology to other cities around the world.
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe expressed his belief that successful customer satisfaction in Tokyo would pave the way for expansion into other cities. Currently, Cruise offers rides in various U.S. cities like San Francisco and Austin.
Despite other automotive companies scaling back their ambitions in autonomous driving, GM CEO Mary Barra emphasized their commitment to delivering this technology and its significant safety benefits worldwide.
Recently, U.S. federal regulators initiated an investigation into Cruise’s autonomous vehicles due to reported instances of hazardous behavior near pedestrians. In response, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt stated the company’s unwavering dedication to safety. Moreover, Cruise maintains regular communication with regulators to familiarize them with emerging autonomous technology.
