07.31.2023

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51º | Cloudy | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:58 a.m. | Sunset 4:48 p.m.

Robotaxis are cruisin’ into Music City

Self-driving car company is cruising into Nashville

Nashvillians will be able to take an autonomous taxi within the next few months, according to the company. | Photo via Cruise

Cruise, a self-driving rideshare company, announced Nashville will be its seventh “robotaxi-enabled city.”

The San Francisco-based company said it began testing vehicles on Friday and plans to offer driverless rides in a few months.

So far, Cruise is only commercially operating the self-driving vehicles in San Francisco, Austin, and Phoenix, but has tested them in Houston, Dallas, and Miami. Here’s what to know as the fleet hits the streets.

How it works

Cruise is the self-driving division of General Motors and operates a Chevy Bolt-based autonomous vehicle.

According to TechCrunch, the company enters a market with test vehicles and a human safety operator behind the wheel. When the car is ready to hit the road — sans human — it is first available to employees followed by those who join the waitlist.

The current generation of vehicles are equipped with a steering wheel that moves and three tablets in the car — with two in the back for passengers to start the trip, watch the map, and receive ride updates. Two guests can ride at a time, according to Cruise’s website.

Meet “Poppy,” the Cruise AV.
|
Photo via Cruise

What the company is saying

Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt said, “Our theory was simple: if we can make autonomous vehicles work in a city like San Francisco — with its fog, hills, and traffic — they’ll work just about anywhere.”

When the company began testing in Phoenix and Austin, it “took some work to adapt to these new cities, but most of the systems worked well.” Since then, Vogt said the company has improved adaptation to pedicabs, pedal taverns, and even donkeys without hard coding rules for each situation.

You can’t hop into one of the vehicles just yet, but you can take it for a virtual spin on Cruise’s website — scroll halfway down the page.

Events

Monday, July 31

Silent Book Club | Monday, July 31 | 6-7:30 p.m. | East Nashville Beer Works, 320 E. Trinity Ln. | Cost of purchase | BYOB (bring your own book) to this evening of silent reading.

Tuesday, Aug. 1

Tennessee International Indie Film Festival | Tuesday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 6 | The Franklin Theatre, 419 Main St., Franklin | Cost of admission | The six-day film festival includes panels and film screenings, including “Facing the Laughter: Minnie Pearl,” “Exit 207: The Soul of Nashville,” and more.
Cat Yoga | Tuesday, Aug. 1 | 6-7 p.m. | The Catio, 2416 Music Valley Dr., Ste. 114 | $15 | Bring your own mat to this beginner’s level yoga class with over 35 cats.

Wednesday, Aug. 2

Remembering Astrud Gilberto | Wednesday, Aug. 2 | 8 p.m. | The Blue Room at Third Man Records, 623 7th Ave. S. | $12.95 | A tribute show celebrating samba and bossa nova singer Astrud Gilberto, who rose to fame in the mid-1960s for “The Girl from Ipanema.”

Thursday, Aug. 3

Dog Nights of Summer | Thursday, Aug. 3 | 5:30-10 p.m. | Cheekwood, 1200 Forrest Park Dr. | Cost of admission | Bring your pup for an evening of music and dog-friendly fun — plus, view Bruce Munro’s light installations after dark.
August Movie Nights: “Parent Trap” | Thursday, Aug. 3 | 7 p.m. | TailGate Brewery, 7300 Charlotte Pk. | Cost of purchase | Arrive early for pizza and choice of picnic table at this all-ages and dog-friendly movie night.

Friday, Aug. 4

The Home Edit: Summer of Fun | Friday, Aug. 4 | 8 p.m. | TPAC, Jackson Hall, 505 Deaderick St. | $64+ | Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin take the stage for a fun evening with friends and fans.

Plan Ahead

Wine Tasting Summer Series at the JW Marriott Nashville Pool | Tuesday, Aug. 8, Thursday, Aug. 17 + Wednesday, Aug. 30 | 7-9 p.m. | JW Marriott Nashville, 201 8th Ave. S. | $65 | Spend these warm summer nights expanding your wine palate at the JW Marriott Nashville’s newly reimagined tropical rooftop pool deck. Enjoy the summer wine tasting while you soak in the city views.*

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Wellness

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News Notes

Biz

The owners of West Nashville’s Anatolia Turkish Restaurant have their sights set on Music Row — 1000 17th Ave. S. Not many details are known, but a permit filed suggests the restaurant’s name is Music Row Bar & Grill. (Nashville Business Journal)

Concert

Like it or love it, it’s happening. Tim McGraw is heading out on tour next spring and will circle back to Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, April 25. The country star will be joined by Carly Pearce. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Ranked

Hattie B’s secured the No. 4 spot on USA Today’s 10Best ranking for Best Regional Fast Food Chains. The Nashville-based hot chicken restaurant is in the company of fast food joints such as Whataburger, Cook Out, and In-N-Out Burger.

Outdoors

Friends of Franklin Parks will unveil an updated Storybook Trail at Pinkerton Park on Thursday, Aug. 3. The interactive trail features 17 stops with stories about a robin’s first experience outside the nest. Attend the 9 a.m. ribbon cutting for a live reading. (Williamson Herald)

Eat

🛒 This holiday will save you money

3 Nashville-inspired recipes to try during Tennessee’s grocery tax holiday

Banana pudding dessert cup lined with wafers

Edley’s Banana Pudding | Photo via Edley’s Bar-B-Que

Making your list and checking it twice? The grocery list, that is.

Tennessee’s grocery tax holiday begins tomorrow, Aug. 1 and runs through Tuesday, Oct. 31.

During this period, Tennesseans will not pay tax on most food and food ingredients from grocery stores — everything from pantry staples to frozen meals, baby food, and ice cream. Alcoholic beverages, candy, and prepared food are excluded.

In the spirit of supermarket savings, we’re sharing three Nashville-inspired recipes to cook up over the next three months.

Edley’s | Banana Pudding (full recipe)

1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup condensed milk
9 ounces cream cheese
20 ounces of whole milk
6 ounces of vanilla pudding mix
6 bananas
8 ounces Nilla wafers

Hungry for more? Click the button below for two more recipes — biscuits and shrimp n’ grits.

Cooking local

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Dylan

From the editor

The Belcourt’s latest film seminar to hit the calendar is Driven by Songs on Wednesday, Aug. 16. Presented by Stan Link with Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music, the seminar is all about “cool cars, hots summers, and the musical avenues of nostalgia.” Think: “Dazed and Confused,” “Wild at Heart,” and “American Graffiti.”

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