General Motors’ autonomous vehicle unit Cruise has offered to pay $75,000 to resolve a probe by California regulators regarding its failure to disclose pertinent details about a pedestrian crash involving a self-driving car. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ordered Cruise to appear at a hearing on February 6th, accusing the company of misleading the commission and the public about the seriousness of the accident.
The incident occurred on October 2nd when a pedestrian, already hit by another vehicle, was thrown into the path of a self-driving Cruise vehicle and dragged for 20 feet while the AV attempted to pull over. As a result, the state of California suspended Cruise’s testing permit, leading the company to halt all U.S. testing operations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also opened a federal investigation into pedestrian risks at Cruise.
To address the CPUC’s concerns, Cruise has fired nine executives, including its chief operating officer and chief legal and policy officer, and reduced its workforce by 24%. The company’s CEO and co-founder have also resigned. Moreover, Cruise has requested to delay the February 6th hearing and explore alternative modes of dispute resolution.
Cruise stated its commitment to rebuilding trust with regulators and increasing transparency and cooperation with the CPUC. The company also plans to enhance its reporting to the commission regarding collisions and incidents involving AVs that have reached a minimum risk condition. Additionally, Cruise has enlisted the services of law firm Quinn Emanuel to review its response to the October 2nd incident and its interactions with relevant parties.
General Motors, the parent company of Cruise, had previously announced cost-cutting measures at Cruise due to its significant financial losses. The company lost over $700 million in the third quarter of 2023 and has faced cumulative losses exceeding $8 billion since 2016.
Overall, Cruise aims to resolve the probe and ensure that its autonomous vehicle services uphold safety, equity, and accessibility standards.
The source of the article is from the blog lisboatv.pt