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General Motors (GM), a well-established car maker, has decided to play a bigger part in improving the safety practices at its self-driving car subsidiary, Cruise. This decision comes in the wake of several mishaps that led to California's authorities revoking Cruise's permits for commercial operations within the state. In a significant move, GM is delegating one of its high-ranking officials, Craig Glidden, to take charge of crucial departments at Cruise.
Glidden, who holds a top position at GM in the legal and policy department and is a member of Cruise's board, will serve as Cruise's chief administrative officer. He will be responsible for guiding the company in areas like openness and community relations.
Cruise Announces Operational Overhaul
Cruise has announced a temporary halt to all its autonomous vehicle activities that involve supervision or manual control in the United States. This pause affects approximately 70 vehicles. Prior to this, Cruise had already stopped its driverless operations in various cities, including Houston, Austin, and Phoenix. This move was made to regain public confidence after an incident on October 2, where a Cruise robotaxi was involved in an accident with a pedestrian, who had already been hit by another vehicle.
In early November, Cruise brought in Exponent, a consulting firm, to perform an in-depth analysis of the October 2 accident. Recently, the company expanded this review to encompass a broader evaluation of all its safety protocols and technology.
Moreover, Cruise's board plans to appoint an independent safety expert soon to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the company's safety practices. This approach mirrors actions taken by other autonomous vehicle (AV) companies facing safety concerns. For instance, Uber ATG, Uber's former self-driving unit, hired a former National Transportation Safety Board chairman for safety guidance after a fatal incident in 2018.
GM to Implement Improvements
These developments follow a crucial board meeting between Cruise and GM, where the future direction of the embattled AV company was discussed. CEO Kyle Vogt had previously informed employees about impending layoffs, and the company has started dismissing contract workers.
