Cruise Is Trialing Wheelchair-Accessible Driverless Robotaxis

Image via Cruise

Cruise is wheeling into more accessible lanes, not long after it got the go-ahead to bring 24/7 driverless taxis to San Francisco.

‘Wav’ (pronounced “wave”) is the “world’s first purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible, self-driving vehicle,” according to the General Motors-owned company, which presented a working prototype of the model at its San Francisco headquarters on Wednesday.

The autonomous vehicle is built with an illuminated, retractable ramp that users can roll up independently. It’s also equipped with two wheelchair securement systems, and can accommodate one wheelchair user plus another rider.

Video screenshot via Cruise

Inside the car, passengers are greeted by easily reachable, user-friendly controls that double as a handle. Riders can push these buttons to unlock their wheelchair, start and stop their journey, call remote assistance, or control the doors and ramp, which is also an option they can find in the mobile app.

Wav is the result of three years of development and close collaboration with the disabled community, as well as accessible product manufacturers.

Accessibility naturally drives the autonomous vehicle industry, said Carrie Morton, GM’s chief engineer of accessibility, at the unveiling, so the next course of action would be to evolve the concept of mobility into one that includes all.

Video screenshot via Cruise

“People with disabilities are living in a world that is not designed and built for us,” noted Theo Braddy, executive director of the National Council on Independent Living. “We also know that this can be changed today.”

According to 2021 data by the US Census Bureau, about 42 million Americans deal with a disability. Cruise hopes to make transportation viable for for everybody, regardless of physical ability. 

The company will still need the necessary approvals before it can steer Wav onto public roads. Once cleared, the innovation could take “autonomous” travel to new levels, giving riders with physical disabilities the freedom to get around on their own.

In the meantime, Cruise says it will continue tweaking its prototype to meet user feedback. Closed-course testing will begin next month.

[via Reuters, CNET, San Francisco Chronicle, images via Cruise]