Issue #16
October 27, 2023
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BREAKING: Cruise Suspends Robotaxi Operations Nationwide
After greenlighting unsafe deployment of autonomous vehicles on California streets, the state’s motor vehicle agency informed AV company Cruise that it was revoking its permits to operate AVs without a driver in the wake of major safety incidents. That decision was announced earlier this week. Today, Cruise said it is suspending the operations of its unsafe driverless cars not only in California, but in cities across the country.
“Public safety remains the California DMV’s top priority,” according to the agency’s order. “When there is an unreasonable risk to public safety, the DMV can immediately suspend or revoke permits.”
This decision by the California DMV came in response to a firestorm of criticism around Cruise and Waymo autonomous robotaxis disrupting San Francisco streets, blocking public transit buses, and even obstructing first responders from doing their job.
“As a union of professional transport operators, the TWU predicted this outcome from the beginning. Operating a commercial motor vehicle is a demanding responsibility that requires skill, specialized training, and the ability to make split-second, life-saving decisions. Despite the propaganda pushed by tech executives, Cruise has shown the world that robots are incapable of even coming close to achieving the high standards human operators meet each and every day.” — TWU International President John Samuelsen.
Former Speaker Pelosi also weighed in and urged federal regulations to “keep our constituents safe” from the safety hazards of AVs.
“AVs on the streets of San Francisco, which we both represent, have been having challenges in addressing complex real-world situations, such as navigating road work zones and reacting to the temporary outage of signals,” the former Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Kevin Mullin wrote
Video: Cruise AV Blocks Police at SF Shooting
Delta Air Lines Pushing to Cut Labor Costs with Drone Aircraft Inspections
Delta Air Lines is pushing ahead with drone-based aircraft inspections – partnering with specialist Mainblades – and working with regulators to secure certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The air carrier wants to use drones for general visual inspections to identify aircraft damage such as lightning strikes and dents. A Delta senior engineer revealed one of the motives for the deployment of drones: manual inspections average about “16 labor-hours.”
WHAT WE’RE READING
Will Generative AI Transform Aircraft Maintenance? | Aviation Week
Amazon New Human-Shaped Warehouse Robots | Seattle Times
Major Airlines Deploying AI Tools for Long Haul Flying | Travel and Leisure
AI and Robots Fuel New Job Displacement Fears | Axios
T.U.U.S. Division