Breaking: Federal Investigation Launched into GM's Robotaxis Amid Safety Concerns for Pedestrians
US auto safety regulator is investigating if GM's self-driving unit Cruise has adequately protected pedestrians with its autonomous vehicles, following concerns about their safety precautions
The US auto safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), announced on Tuesday that it is investigating whether General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, has adequately ensured the safety of pedestrians with their autonomous vehicles. This probe comes as the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has been informed of two incidents in which pedestrians were injured by Cruise's vehicles. Additionally, two more incidents have been identified through videos shared on public websites.
According to NHTSA, the reports involve Cruise autonomous vehicles "interfering with pedestrians who are already on or entering the road, including pedestrian crosswalks, near where the vehicles are intended to go."
The agency further stated that this could raise the chances of a pedestrian collision, potentially leading to serious injury or fatality.
A representative from Cruise stated that the company maintains regular communication with NHTSA and "has consistently collaborated with each of NHTSA's information requests - regardless of whether they relate to an ongoing investigation or not - and intends to maintain this practice in the future".
A woman sustained severe injuries on Monday night in a downtown San Francisco accident involving a self-driving vehicle. Early Tuesday, Justin Schorr, spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department, informed CNN that the victim has sustained critical injuries.
The discovery was made of a woman who was trapped beneath a vehicle that was operating without a driver. This particular incident is noteworthy as it occurred shortly after another unfortunate event in San Francisco. In that previous incident, a pedestrian was initially struck by a hit-and-run driver and was subsequently thrown into a nearby lane. To make matters worse, the individual was hit for a second time by a Cruise robotaxi that was unable to halt in a timely manner.
US and California officials have engaged in discussions with Cruise regarding the aforementioned incident. In August, the California Department of Motor Vehicles initiated an investigation into incidents involving Cruise in San Francisco, prompted by a collision between a Cruise robotaxi and an emergency vehicle.
The California Public Utilities Commission voted in August to allow robotaxis from Cruise and Alphabets Waymo to operate around the clock, despite strong opposition from residents and city agencies.
