ROBOTAXIS / FLYING TAXIS
GM PULLS PLUG ON CRUISE ROBOTAXI, SHIFTS FOCUS TO PERSONAL VEHICLES
General Motors has announced a significant shift in its AV strategy, halting funding for its Cruise self- driving taxi service. The company will now redirect its focus towards developing autonomous tech- nology for personal vehicles. The decision comes amid increas- ing competition in the robotaxi market, notably from Tesla’s recent unveiling of its Cybercab. GM cited
the “considerable time and resources” required to scale the business as a key factor in the shift. The move could impact a sub- stantial number of Cruise employees, though GM has not yet disclosed specific figures. The company also plans to increase its ownership in Cruise to over 97%. Cruise has faced a series of set- backs, including a significant job
cut in December 2023 and a temporary halt to its driverless testing programme in California following a pedestrian accident. The company also admitted to submitting a false report to US authorities regarding the incident. Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt, took to social media to express his disappointment, calling GM executives “a bunch of dummies.”
GERMAN FLYING TAXI STARTUP VOLOCOPTER FILES FOR INSOLVENCY
Volocopter, a leading German developer of electric vertical take- off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, announced on 30 December that it had filed for insolvency. This news comes just days after fellow German eVTOL company Lilium was rescued from
bankruptcy by a consortium of European and North American investors through Mobile Uplift Corporation, a company set up to acquire the operating assets of the startup’s two subsidiaries, Lilium GmbH and Lilium eAircraft GmbH. Terms of the deal, expected to close
WAYMO TO LAUNCH ROBOTAXI SERVICE IN MIAMI IN 2026
Waymo is expanding its robotaxi service to Miami. The Alphabet- owned company plans to test AVs with human safety drivers in Miami in 2025, followed by the launch of its Waymo One ride-hailing service in 2026.
This demonstrates Waymo’s grow- ing confidence in its technology’s ability to navigate challenging weather conditions and complex urban environments. The com- pany’s previous testing in Miami in 2019 helped refine its AVs’ performance in wet and rainy con-
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ditions, knowledge that will be applied to its upcoming deploy- ment of Jaguar I-PACE EVs. Waymo’s expansion plans are fuelled by
recent funding and
strategic partnerships. It has part- nered with Uber to integrate its robotaxis into the Uber app in Austin and Atlanta, and with Moove to manage fleet operations and infra-structure in Miami and Phoenix. Waymo’s rapid growth place it ahead of competitors such as Cruise, Tesla, Wayve and Zoox.
in January, were not disclosed. Volocopter stated in a press release: “Despite recent intensive fund-raising efforts, finding a viable solution to maintain regular operations outside of insolvency proceedings has not been possible,” The insolvency filing was made on 26 December. Founded in 2011, Volocopter has been a pioneer in the eVTOL sector, aiming to launch its two- seater "”Volocity” air taxi in 2025. However, the company encount- ered a significant setback in summer when it was forced to cancel planned test flights during the Paris Olympics due to delays in obtaining engine certification. Volocopter announced in Decem- ber that the Volocity model had met 75% of the certification requirements set by the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency. Volocopter’s
insolvency filing
highlights the challenges faced by German eVTOL companies in competing with rapidly advancing rivals in the USA and China.
JANUARY 2025 PHTM
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