A new way of getting around is coming to Dallas.
In just a few months a new driverless ride-hailing service is about to become a reality. It’s part of a growing trend in artificial intelligence, which some believe could be a key to safer roads in the future.
Cruise, a driverless ride-hailing company backed by General Motors, is planning to roll out self-driving cars on Dallas streets by the end of the year. The service operates like other ride-hailing apps on a smartphone, where users can call up a ride.
“The experience feels a lot like a human, except for there is no human and it’s actually a robot car,” said Megan Prichard, vice president of ride-hail and delivery for Cruise.
Cruise operates a fleet of Chevy Bolts that are equipped with a mix of 40 sensors, cameras, radars and other technology which feeds the artificial intelligence that powers the vehicle. To unlock the car, the user slides a button on the smartphone app. The car won’t even start moving until everyone is buckled up and riders push another button to begin.
“So our cars never drive drunk, they never drive distracted, they never drive tired and they have a 360-degree view of everything that’s going on around them at all times,” said Prichard. “People find that once they’re in the car, they really relax, they like having the ability to put their own music on and sing along, call friends or even take a nap.”
That safety concept is one of the reasons Cruise picked Dallas as its next location. The company’s goals align with Dallas’ Vision Zero initiative to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and reach a 50% reduction in severe injuries from crashes by 2030.
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“We’re hoping that in Dallas – a city that has the second highest traffic fatality rate amongst us cities that are populous – we will be able to help achieve that goal,” said Prichard. “So far, we have zero serious injuries and over 3 million miles of driverless ride-hail driving, which is very exciting.”
The City of Dallas shared a statement with NBC 5 regarding the team effort on Vision Zero:
“Vision Zero was introduced as an answer to Dallas’ high traffic fatality rate and the City Council’s commitment to creating a community with zero traffic fatalities. The City of Dallas Vision Zero Action Plan aspires to create streets free from fatalities for all Dallas residents and visitors. This is a goal we share with many organizations, including Cruise, and we look forward to continued discussions to align those goals.”
“Right now, over 40,000 people die every year on American roads. And this is unacceptable as a status quo, we have the opportunity here to make a much safer product that’s also a better customer experience and more sustainable for our riders,” said Prichard.
Outside of safety, Cruise also picked Dallas because of the boom in business, demand and innovation.
Source: www.nbcdfw.com