Severe harmAutonomous Vehicle Harm2023-10-02 (incident); 2024-11-14 (settlement)United States

GM Cruise Robotaxi Drags Pedestrian 20 Feet

Pedestrian hit by a human-driven car was thrown into the path of a Cruise robotaxi on Market Street. The Cruise vehicle could not avoid the initial impact, but its sensors failed to detect a human was underneath. It executed a pull-over at ~7 mph, dragging the victim 20 feet to the curb. Cruise's initial NHTSA report omitted the dragging; the company did not correct the report for 10 days.

Fines: US$1.6MAI system:Cruise autonomous vehicle (Chevrolet Bolt)

Impact

California DMV suspended Cruise October 24, 2023. Cruise pulled all robotaxis nationwide. Fired 9 executives, cut 24% of workforce. CEO Kyle Vogt resigned. GM wrote off ~3.48 billion USD on Cruise in 2023.

Outcome

November 2024: Cruise entered deferred prosecution agreement, 500,000 USD fine for false report. Additional: 1.5 million USD to NHTSA, 112,500 USD to California PUC, undisclosed civil settlement with victim. December 2024: GM wound down Cruise robotaxi program. 2025: limited mapping return with safety drivers and Uber partnership.

Sources

  1. Source 1NBC Bay Areawww.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco/cruise-admits-filing-false-report-robotaxi-dragged-san-francisco-pedestrian/3710410/
  2. Source 2SF Standardsfstandard.com/2024/11/14/cruise-fine-investigation-dragging-robotaxi/
  3. Source 3Fox Businesswww.foxbusiness.com/technology/analysis-reveals-gms-cruise-robotaxi-struck-dragged-pedestrian-20-feet

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