Federal Regulators Investigate Cruise Driverless Vehicles After Pedestrian Injuries

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, following pedestrian injuries involving their driverless vehicles. The probe aims to determine whether Cruise’s automated driving systems exercised appropriate caution around pedestrians in the roadway. The NHTSA initiated the investigation after receiving two reports of incidents involving pedestrian injuries and Cruise vehicles. Additionally, the agency cited two other incidents that were identified through videos posted on public websites.

The investigation focuses on an estimated 594 self-driving Cruise vehicles. One incident occurred on October 2, where a pedestrian was thrown by another vehicle into the path of a driverless Cruise vehicle. This incident aligns with a hit-and-run crash in San Francisco, which resulted in the pedestrian being taken to the hospital. Cruise stated that their autonomous vehicle braked aggressively during the incident and that they were actively working with law enforcement to identify the hit-and-run driver. The company had already spoken with the NHTSA about this incident and provided video footage.

The second incident took place in August when a Cruise autonomous vehicle struck a pedestrian who was crossing the road in a crosswalk after the stoplight had turned green, and the vehicle was allowed to proceed. The pedestrian was transported by emergency medical services due to knee pain. Cruise reported that the NHTSA had not contacted them regarding this incident or the two incidents that were apparently posted on social media.

Cruise spokesperson Hannah Lindow emphasized that Cruise’s safety record over 5 million miles has consistently outperformed comparable human drivers. Lindow also stated that Cruise communicates regularly with the NHTSA and has always cooperated with their requests for information.

Cruise, along with Alphabet subsidiary Waymo, has been deploying autonomous vehicles in San Francisco for several months. However, critics of the autonomous driving rollout, including some San Francisco emergency responders, have raised concerns about driverless vehicles obstructing emergency vehicles. On the other hand, proponents argue that driverless vehicles are safer than human-driven ones. Several other companies, including some based in China, have also obtained permits to test driverless vehicles on San Francisco streets.

In conclusion, the NHTSA has launched an investigation into Cruise driverless vehicles following pedestrian injuries to determine if appropriate caution was exercised. Cruise, in collaboration with law enforcement, is actively working to address the incidents, and they maintain that their safety record has consistently outperformed human drivers. The investigation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the safety and effectiveness of driverless vehicles.