Cruise may get approval to mass-produce Origin's autonomous shuttles without steering wheels

Cruise said it is "just days away" from receiving regulatory approval to begin mass production of its fully autonomous Origin car without steering wheel or pedals.

Here's What We Know

Cruise first unveiled the Origin robotaxi in early 2020. The bus-like vehicle was designed solely for autonomous transport of passengers around the city. Since then, however, the company has been going through a lengthy regulatory approval process before going into mass production.

The car's lack of traditional controls means Cruise must get an exemption from federal motor vehicle safety standards, which require a steering wheel and pedals.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues only 2,500 such exemptions per year. A bill to increase that limit to 25,000 is pending in Congress, but has not yet been approved.

According to the automaker's CEO Kyle Vogt, Cruise has petitioned for an exception to the rule. The company expects a decision in the coming days.

The NHTSA said no decision has been made yet and no timeline has been set.

Source: The Verge