General Motors’ Cruise self-driving vehicle unit is making a comeback on U.S. roads after a hiatus since October. The company announced that it will be redeploying a small fleet of human-driven vehicles in Phoenix to kickstart their reentry into the autonomous vehicle market. This relaunch follows an unfortunate incident that occurred in San Francisco in which a pedestrian was dragged by a Cruise robotaxi after being struck by another vehicle.
The redeployed vehicles will not be operating as robotaxis as they did previously. Instead, they will focus on creating maps and gathering road information in select cities, beginning with Phoenix. Cruise has stated that their ultimate goal is to resume driverless operations, although they have not provided a specific timeline for when this will happen. Additionally, there has been no announcement regarding when human-driven vehicles will be expanded to other cities.
In a blog post, Cruise reflected on the pause in operations that took place in October 2023. The hiatus was used to rebuild trust with regulators and the communities they serve, as well as to reassess their approach to safety. With new leadership in place and guidance from third-party experts, Cruise has made significant progress during this time. The company emphasized the importance of a close partnership with the communities in which their vehicles operate and their commitment to continuous improvement.
Following a third-party probe into the October incident, it was revealed that culture issues, ineptitude, and poor leadership were contributing factors to the regulatory oversights that led to the accident. While there were allegations of a coverup by Cruise leadership, the investigation did not find any evidence to support these claims. Cruise has accepted the conclusions of the report and is actively working on implementing the recommendations provided.
General Motors’ Cruise unit has been fully cooperating with investigations conducted by state and federal agencies following the October 2 accident. Agencies involved in the inquiries include the California DMV, the California Public Utilities Commission, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cruise has made it clear that they are committed to transparency and compliance with regulatory standards.
A Shift in Leadership
In addition to the relaunch of their vehicles, Cruise has undergone significant changes in leadership. The company saw the resignation of its co-founders, including CEO and co-founder Kyle Vogt, as well as the removal of nine other leaders. Furthermore, Cruise had to lay off 24% of its workforce along with a group of contractors. These changes aim to reshape the company and address the issues that led to the previous setbacks.
Overall, the relaunch of General Motors’ Cruise self-driving vehicles in Phoenix marks a new chapter for the company. With a renewed focus on safety, transparency, and community partnership, Cruise is determined to regain the trust of regulators and the public as they work towards achieving their goal of driverless operations.
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