# Cruise's VP of robotics on SF robotaxi operations

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2022-03-03
- Length: 1h 02m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/rashed-haq-on-using-ai-to-control-autonomous-vehicles-and-generate-visual-art

## Summary

Rashed Haq, VP of Robotics at Cruise, discusses the company's autonomous taxi operations in San Francisco, detailing the transition to limited public beta rides and the specific challenges of driving in complex urban environments like San Francisco, including uncertainty and edge cases. He explains how Cruise uses remote assistance rather than full teleoperation to handle rare situations and leverages simulation tools like World Gen to accelerate development and testing. The conversation also covers Haq's background in enterprise AI, his book on AI transformation, and his work in computational photography and AI-generated art.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=0) Introduction: Robot Report Podcast and Sponsor Read
- [3:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=185) News: Starship Robot Fail and Industry Updates
- [14:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=889) News: Cruise and Waymo Driver Deployment Permits
- [20:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=1201) Interview: Rashed Haq on Role and San Francisco Operations
- [26:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=1568) Cruise Service Status: Waitlist, Hours, and Expansion Plans
- [32:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=1935) Remote Assistance vs. Teleoperation and Continuous Learning
- [35:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=2107) Edge Cases: Debris, Costumes, and Weather Challenges
- [40:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=2407) Simulation: World Gen and the Engineering Lifecycle
- [43:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=2630) State of the Robotaxi Industry and AI Model Development
- [53:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-03-03-cruises-vp-of-robotics-on-sf-robotaxi-operations#t=3202) Haq's Photography, AI Art, and Computational Creativity

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Cruise (company)
- Waymo (company)
- Starship (company)
- Dexterity (company)
- Mir (company)
- Universal Robots (company)
- Auto X (company)
- Baidu (company)
- World Gen (tool)
- Waze (tool)
- Kit (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep. 22 | Cruise's Sr. VP of Engineering, Mo ElShenawy, on Developing Autonomous Vehicles](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-15-ep-22-cruises-sr-vp-of-engineering-mo-elshenawy-on-developing-autonomous-vehicle) (Moore's Lobby)
- [HIBT Lab! Cruise: Kyle Vogt](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-27-hibt-lab-cruise-kyle-vogt) (How I Built This)
- [A Conversation in Berlin about Robot Operations (#RobOps) with Florian Pestoni, Co-Founder and CEO of InOrbit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-08-09-a-conversation-in-berlin-about-robot-operations-robops-with-florian-pestoni-co-f) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Bonus Episode: Smart City Robotics Competition](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-10-13-bonus-episode-smart-city-robotics-competition) (Robot Talk)
- [Autonomous Navigation in GPS-Denied Environments with Ben Williams, COO at Exyn Technologies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t) (Over the Air)

## Citing this page

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