General Motors-owned Cruise has experienced a setback with a voluntary recall of 950 driverless vehicles after a serious crash in San Francisco last month. The company also hinted at possible layoffs as it tries to rebuild public trust.
The recall was issued to address programming issues after one of Cruise’s self-driving cars failed to detect a pedestrian pinned underneath the vehicle, causing serious injuries. Cruise grounded its entire driverless fleet across the country after the pedestrian accident and misrepresented the nature of the incident.
The company filed a recall announcement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, stating that a software update will address the “post-collision response” in its driverless fleet to decrease the risk of injury. Unlike traditional recalls involving hardware, this recall comes in the form of software updates for autonomous vehicles.
It was revealed that the driverless vehicle continued moving for about 20 feet at 7 mph with the woman pinned underneath, likely increasing her injuries. As a result, the California DMV suspended Cruise’s driverless permits after determining that the robotaxis posed an “unreasonable risk” to the public.
Amidst these challenges, Cruise’s chief executive Kyle Vogt has changed his tone and informed employees that layoffs are possible as the company works to rebuild public trust. In response, Cruise outlined steps it is taking to improve safety, including hiring a chief safety officer and engaging an outside law firm to better understand its response to the October 2 incident.
The company expressed its commitment to keeping customers, regulators, and the public informed as it continues to listen, learn, and improve. It remains unclear when Cruise’s driverless fleet will resume operations.