Cruise Recalls Nearly 1,200 Self-Driving Taxis Over Braking Issues

Cruise Recalls Nearly 1,200 Self-Driving Taxis Over Braking IssuesThe U.S

Cruise Recalls Nearly 1,200 Self-Driving Taxis Over Braking Issues

The U.S. auto safety regulator announced Thursday that Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, has agreed to recall nearly 1,200 self-driving taxis to address braking issues. The recall comes after the agency launched an investigation into the safety of Cruises autonomous driving system. The recall marks the end of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) investigation that began in December 2022. The probe stemmed from three rear-end crashes, which resulted in two minor injuries.

For Cruise, ending the investigation is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of its vehicles and earning the trust of state and federal officials. The company plans to resume operations of its driverless taxis in the future, serving paying customers. While Cruise disagreed with the NHTSA's conclusion that a recall was required, it conceded to satisfy the investigation. We are committed to building trust and increasing transparency in autonomous vehicle technology, a Cruise spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. Cruise stated that the vehicles have been updated with software that significantly reduces the risk of unintended emergency braking. The companys data shows that the rate of unintended emergency braking events in its autonomous vehicles is very low and significantly lower than human drivers.

The NHTSA said none of the incidents they analyzed resulted in a crash or injury. Additionally, the NHTSA is conducting another separate investigation examining whether Cruise took adequate precautions to protect pedestrians, which is ongoing.

Cruise also faces ongoing investigations from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an incident last October when one of its self-driving taxis dragged a pedestrian about 20 feet after a crash. Analyzing 7,632 instances of emergency braking involving Cruise's autonomous driving system, the NHTSA pointed out that 10 of them resulted in crashes, and 4 of those caused injuries.

Last month, General Motors announced an indefinite postponement of its plans to advance its driverless Origin vehicle program. Cruise, along with other autonomous driving technology companies, including Alphabet-owned Waymo and Amazon's Zoox, have been facing intense regulatory scrutiny stemming from safety concerns following vehicle incidents. In response to the October incident and subsequent investigations, the CEO of Cruise stepped down, and General Motors announced cuts to its autonomous driving division. After the accident, Cruise halted all driving operations until it resumed in Phoenix in May, but only with safety drivers supervising. Additionally, Cruise was fined $112,500, the maximum penalty, for failing to report full information about the October incident to the California Public Utilities Commission in a timely manner.

This recall is the latest challenge faced by the autonomous vehicle industry. With the technology constantly evolving, regulators face enormous pressure to ensure its safety and reliability. The recall also highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability within the autonomous vehicle industry to earn public trust.

While Cruises recall of its self-driving taxis is to address braking issues, the incident reflects the safety concerns surrounding autonomous vehicles and the level of scrutiny from regulators. The future of the autonomous vehicle industry will depend on its ability to address safety concerns and earn public trust.