Self-driving vehicle startup Cruise has unveiled the Origin, reimagining transportation as if the car had never existed.
At the launch event in Cruise’s home city, San Francisco, on Tuesday, January 21, company directors showed off the Origin, saying it is not a product you buy but an experience you share.
When introducing the vehicle, company CEO Dan Ammann said, “Every time we get on the road, we’re faced with trade-offs, convenience or climate? Speed or safety? But what if we didn’t have to choose? What we’re going to show you today is not an improvement on the car, it’s completely different and what you would build if there were no cars.”
Demonstrating the vehicle, chief technology officer Kyle Vogt explained that despite its apparent size, the Origin is no bigger than the average car. He said the doors slide open for a wide open and the interior offers a lot of legroom.
Vogt showed off the sensors, which can see things the driver cannot see, and react faster and more safely than a driver.
He told the audience, “The Origin can see pedestrians at night even if they are not visible to the naked eye. And this is just one of our new sensor systems.”
In the past year, Cruise drove autonomously for almost 1,000,000 miles in San Francisco alone, gaining valuable data.
Ammann said the Origin offered “superhuman” levels of safety but making it inexpensive was also important.
“Most cars sit parked 95% of the time, racking up expensive parking fees while depreciating in value. The Cruise Origin will spend most of its life in motion. It will have a lifespan of well over 1,000,000 miles,” Vogt said.
Ammann stated, “No doubt what we’ve laid out here is ambitious but we’re moving as fast as possible to make this happen and while what you’ve seen here tonight has been focused mostly on helping people move through cities, this is just the beginning of the Origin’s story.”
To watch the Origin launch event, click here.