Austin's initial responders have been struggling to manage Cruise's autonomous vehicles, leading to documented incidents of concerning behavior. According to records obtained by KUT, Cruise vehicles have collided with parked fire trucks, ignored police traffic directions, and even obstructed an ambulance en route to Sixth Street. On other occasions, Cruise employees faced difficulties in moving their disabled vehicles from blocking traffic.
In response to numerous complaints from Austin residents and beyond, Cruise has announced a nationwide suspension of its self-driving taxi operations to rebuild public trust. However, this suspension is temporary, not permanent, and other self-driving car companies are closely monitoring the situation.
Cruise was the only self-driving car company operating without human drivers in Austin, where at least four companies were testing their vehicles. To accommodate its large fleet, Cruise set up propane generators to charge its vehicles, gaining approval from the Austin Fire Department.
Cruise's decision to suspend autonomous vehicle operations nationwide followed the California Department of Motor Vehicles revoking their driverless testing permits, citing safety concerns. Despite Cruise's assertion that the suspension wasn't linked to new on-road incidents, they had a history of incidents in Austin, causing concerns among first responders.
The issue of autonomous vehicles impeding fire trucks and emergency responses in Austin has raised regulatory challenges, as the Texas Legislature prevented local regulation of self-driving cars in 2017. Current city council members and Austin's mayor insist that more measures are needed to ensure safe self-driving vehicle operation, as public roads should not serve as experimental technology testing grounds.