CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cruise, a relatively new taxi company known for its self-driving cars, announced this week that it will pause all operations across the country after losing its permits in California, NBC News reported.
The company's permits were revoked by California's Department of Motor Vehicles after one of its vehicles dragged a pedestrian for 20 feet in San Francisco. The company issued a statement saying it was stopping nationwide to try to "rebuild public trust." The California DMV also accused the company of failing to disclose the full details of the San Francisco incident.
Cruise's taxis were spotted in Charlotte just a couple of months before the the company halted operations. The city of Charlotte said it was aware of Cruise's operations, telling WCNC Charlotte in a statement that the company was gathering data and that there would be a human driver behind the wheel of the vehicles at all times.
Despite having drivers in them, multiple people reported issues with the Cruise vehicles on Charlotte roads, including a close call along Independence Boulevard. Another person spotted one of the vehicles just sitting in the middle of the road not moving.
Cruise never announced when it planned to start operations in Charlotte. The company offered rides in Arizona, Florida and Texas in addition to California. Cruise is one of two driverless car startups that had been working in San Francisco. The other company, Waymo, is affiliated with Google.