Cruise Suspends Operations and Expands Safety Probe Following Crash

Autonomous-vehicle company Cruise has announced the suspension of all supervised and manual operations of its self-driving cars. The move comes in response to a recent crash involving a pedestrian in San Francisco. Cruise, a unit of General Motors Co., has also expanded an independent safety probe as part of its efforts to rebuild public trust.

Expanding the Operational Pause

Cruise has decided to extend the operational pause to include autonomous cars that have human monitors behind the wheel. This decision affects approximately 70 vehicles across the country. The company aims to conduct a thorough safety review while working towards restoring public trust.

The Incident and its Consequences

As a result of the crash, the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise's robotaxis from operating in San Francisco due to safety concerns. Despite this setback, Cruise has been continuing its driverless car operations in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix.

A Comprehensive Investigation

Cruise has expressed its commitment to conducting a thorough investigation into the root cause of the October 2nd incident. The company plans to expand an ongoing third-party, independent investigation to include a comprehensive review of its safety systems and technology.

Moving Forward

While suspending supervised and manual operations, Cruise will continue to operate its driverless cars in closed-course training environments. Additionally, the company will maintain an active simulation program to focus on advancing autonomous vehicle (AV) technology.