US launches investigation into Cruise robotaxi braking and obstructing traffic
Cruise AV, General Motor's autonomous electric Bolt EV
US safety authorities are looking into allegations that autonomous robotaxis operated by General Motors' Cruise LLC could abruptly stop or break downaltogether, leaving passengers stranded. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that three rear-end collisions that allegedly happened after Cruise autonomous vehicles applied heavy braking were what initially sparked the investigation. At the time, human safety drivers operated the robotaxis.
Several reports of Cruise robotaxis without human safety drivers cloggingSan Francisco traffic, possibly stranding passengers and blocking lanes, have also been filed with the agency.
NHTSA said in an inquiry report that was published on its website on Friday that complaints of immobilised vehicles originated from conversations with Cruise, media stories, and local officials.
According to the NHTSA crash database, there have been two reports of injuries brought on by the hard braking, one of which left a biker critically injured in March.
NHTSA says it will ascertainhow often the problems occurand potential safety issues they cause. The probe, which covers an estimated 242 Cruise autonomous vehicles, could bring a recall. “With these data, NHTSA can respond to safety concerns involving these technologies through further investigation and enforcement,” the agency said in a statement.
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The risk to passengers exiting cruise vehicles increases if they leave passengers stranded in dangerous areas like traffic lanes or crossroads. Additionally, they could present a hazard to other drivers, forcing them to take risky actions to prevent collisions.
The investigation comes at a crucial time for Cruise, which in June began charging customers for autonomous rides in San Francisco without human safety drivers. Additionally, the autonomous car sector is at a pivotal point. Google offshoot Waymo, which already operates a robotaxi service in the Phoenix area with plans to expand to San Francisco, is at this point. A number of other businesses are transitioning to services without human safety drivers.
(With inputs from agencies)
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