So You Think You Saw a Driverless Donut-Mobile in Austin? The Cruise Car Caper
Ah, Austin. Home of breakfast tacos, weird music, and... self-driving cars that mysteriously vanished? Yep, those were Cruise cars, sleek electric Chevy Bolts that promised a future of snoozing in the backseat while your car whisked you off to Zilker Park. But hold your horses (or should we say, robo-horses?), because things got a little bumpy on that particular road to the future.
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| What Are The Cruise Cars In Austin |
Where'd They Go? The Great Disappearance of 2023
Cruise, a self-driving car company backed by the bigwigs at GM, rolled into Austin in 2023 with a fleet of driverless Bolts. It seemed like the city was about to become a real-life Tesla commercial – minus the questionable dance moves. But then, poof! Just like a particularly ambitious magician's rabbit, Cruise cars vanished from Austin streets in late 2023.
Why the disappearing act? Seems a couple of incidents involving confused pedestrians and some strategically placed traffic cones (courtesy of some very skeptical Austinites) spooked the regulators. Cruise hit pause on their entire operation, including Austin, to focus on safety and win back public trust.
QuickTip: Skim slowly, read deeply.
So, Can You Catch a Cruise (Car) in Austin Right Now?
Nope. As of today, June 30th, 2024, Cruise cars are still out of commission in Austin. They're busy working on their self-driving skills behind the scenes, like that friend who always says they're "working on" cleaning their apartment.
But Wait, There's More Self-Driving Shenanigans!
Austin, ever the city of weird, seems to have a thing for attracting self-driving car companies. While Cruise is on hiatus, another outfit called Waymo started testing their self-driving Jaguars on Austin streets in March 2024. So, keep an eye out – you might just see a fancy feline prowling the streets (slowly and safely, we hope).
Tip: Read aloud to improve understanding.
FAQ: Your Guide to the Cruise-less Cruise Car Conundrum
How to Spot a Cruise Car (in Theory): If Cruise ever makes a comeback, their cars are silver Chevy Bolts with funky rooftop sensors – think Roomba with wheels and a serious case of carpool tunnel vision.
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How to Hail a Cruise Car (if they were here): There would've been an app for that, most likely.
QuickTip: Don’t just consume — reflect.
How to Drive a Cruise Car (not recommended): These are self-driving cars, folks. Leave the piloting to the machines (once they've ironed out the kinks, of course).
How to Feel About Self-Driving Cars in Austin: This is entirely up to you! Some folks are excited, others are a bit wary. There's definitely room for healthy skepticism in the world of self-driving cars.
Tip: Reading twice doubles clarity.
How to Stay Updated on Self-Driving Cars in Austin: Keep an eye on local news and tech blogs. This is a story that's still unfolding, and it's bound to get interesting (hopefully not in a "cars-gone-wild" kind of way).
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