General Motors’ Cruise Takes Proactive Measures Following Accident; Suspend Manual Trips

In response to a recent accident involving one of its self-driving vehicles, General Motors’ Cruise autonomous car unit has announced a temporary halt to all supervised and manual car trips in the United States. The move is part of a broader effort to rebuild public trust and conduct a thorough safety review following the incident.

In a blog post, Cruise stated, “This orderly pause is a further step to rebuild public trust while we undergo a full safety review.” Despite the pause in manual trips, the company plans to continue operating its vehicles in closed-course training environments and maintain an active simulation program to advance autonomous vehicle (AV) technology.

To enhance the investigation process, Cruise has enlisted the services of Exponent, an independent engineering firm previously involved in the technical root cause analysis of the October 2nd incident. The scope of the probe will now extend to include a “comprehensive review” of Cruise’s safety systems and technology.

Additionally, Cruise intends to hire an external safety expert to conduct a thorough review of the company’s safety operations and culture, complementing the appointment of a permanent chief safety officer. This strategic move underscores Cruise’s commitment to addressing safety concerns and preventing future incidents.

The decisions were made following a Cruise board meeting held in San Francisco, with the company acknowledging the need to bolster its safety measures. Cruise had previously engaged the law firm Quinn Emanuel to examine its response to the accident.

In another development, GM general counsel Craig Glidden will assume the role of chief administrative officer at Cruise, overseeing various teams, including communications and finance. This change aims to address concerns raised by some investors about the handling of communications related to the October 2nd accident.

Cruise had initially suspended its Uber-like service with unmanned vehicles in San Francisco after the incident. However, the recent blog post revealed an expansion of this suspension to vehicles operated by human safety drivers, affecting approximately 70 vehicles.

Competing with Alphabet’s Waymo and others in the race to develop fully autonomous vehicles, Cruise is navigating challenges in public perception and regulatory scrutiny. GM CEO Mary Barra, who sits on Cruise’s board, has expressed confidence in the revenue potential of Cruise, projecting it to generate $50 billion by 2030, despite reporting a loss of over $700 million in the third quarter of this year.

In light of the recent developments, including recalls and the temporary halt of the Cruise Origin van production, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is actively investigating the safety of Cruise vehicles.

Additionally, the California Department of Motor Vehicles ordered the removal of Cruise’s driverless cars from state roads, citing safety concerns and alleged misrepresentation of the technology’s safety. Cruise’s comprehensive measures indicate a commitment to addressing safety issues as the company continues its pursuit of autonomous vehicle technology.