At the same of the year, both e-bikes and self-driving cars had momentum. E-Bikes were becoming more ubiquitous, brought to the mainstream by an ever-growing fleet of delivery riders, but becoming more and more popular for the everyday commute. There was also excitement around self-driving cars, particularly in the United States where Waymo had extended their robotaxi service from Phoenix, Arizona to San Francisco and Cruise was also operating a robotaxi service in San Francisco.
Almost a year later, self-driving cars have lost their momentum. Robotaxi users and local residents are skeptical, investors are impatient but most importantly the government are fed up. Cruise had their driverless car permit pulled in California after a horrific crash.
This article tells the story of the year and assesses the state of the self-driving industry going into 2024. With Cruise’s CEO outsed after the crash and Cruise’s parent company General Motors announcing a reduction in investment in Cruise, one of the industry’s biggest players will be slowed next year.
On the other hand, e-bikes have continued to power ahead. Sales have grown despite an overall slowdown in bike sales. Now many American cities and states are instituting policies to encourage residents to switch their second car for an e-bike.
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