General Motors' self-driving car unit, Cruise, is facing a $1.5 million fine from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for failing to disclose details of a serious crash involving a pedestrian in October 2023. The incident occurred when one of Cruise's robotaxis in San Francisco struck a pedestrian after she was hit by another vehicle and dragged more than six meters.
Under the settlement with NHTSA, Cruise must submit a corrective action plan on how it will improve its compliance with reporting serious incidents and face enhanced reporting requirements for at least two years. The company is also under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission in relation to the accident.
Cruise employees reportedly tried to convince NHTSA not to open an investigation into the incident and submitted incomplete reports that failed to disclose important details about the crash. NHTSA discovered the omissions after viewing video footage requested from Cruise and has since amended four other reports to provide additional detail on other crashes involving automated driving systems.
The investigation into Cruise's safety precautions with its autonomous robotaxis is ongoing, and the company has faced additional scrutiny over hard braking issues that led to the recall of 1,200 robotaxis in August. In response to the accident and subsequent investigations, Cruise's CEO resigned, and General Motors announced plans to scale back spending on the self-driving unit.
The California Public Utilities Commission also imposed a maximum penalty on Cruise for failing to promptly provide complete information about the crash. Cruise Chief Safety Officer Steve Kenner stated that the agreement with NHTSA is a step forward for the company in improving processes and transparency with regulators.