Cruise robotaxis are back — or at least their remnants are. GM called it quits on its self-driving taxi venture last year, but now they’re salvaging some tech scraps to work on new driver-assistance systems. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a failed project get a second life; it’s a classic move to recoup some of that sunk cost.
Spotted: GM Bolts with lidar rigs on Bay Area highways. They’re not cruising solo but are being driven by humans. So, they’re not exactly robotaxis, more like test beds with a new paint job. They’ve even ditched the Cruise logo for the mysterious “Mint” insignia. Here’s what this really means: GM is quietly pivoting, testing its tech in plain sight while keeping the public out of the loop.
A GM spokesperson confirmed they’re testing in Michigan, Texas, and California, but don’t expect to hail a ride. This is strictly internal. The company’s playing it safe after a botched attempt at autonomy landed them in hot water — remember when a Cruise vehicle hit a pedestrian? Yeah, that didn’t end well.
GM sank over $8 billion into Cruise, only to see it crash — literally and figuratively. After the accident, the company misled regulators, lost permits, halted operations, and laid off a chunk of its workforce. A textbook case of overreach and under-delivery. The robotaxi dream was shelved by GM’s CEO, who finally realized that getting cars to drive themselves is more than just a costly distraction.
But GM isn’t letting all that tech go to waste. They’re folding it into their existing Super Cruise system, which already helps drivers with tasks like lane keeping and emergency braking. Sure, 60% of their Super Cruise users are on board, but let’s not kid ourselves — we’re a long way from full autonomy. This is about baby steps, not giant leaps.
The robotaxi race is crowded, with Waymo leading the pack while Tesla and Amazon’s Zoox try to catch up. It’s a circus we’ve seen before, with each player promising the moon and delivering a sliver. Meanwhile, GM’s Bolts are blending into the scenery, just another piece of machinery among the tech-laden vehicles mapping roads and logging data.
In the end, it’s all about who can make this tech pay off before the next bubble bursts. So, while GM’s robotaxi saga has hit the brakes, their tech is still on the road, quietly collecting data and waiting for its next act.
