US safety regulators are investigating complaints that autonomous robotaxis operated by General Motors’ Cruise can abruptly stop or cease moving, leaving passengers stranded.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the investigation was sparked by three reported rear-end crashes that occurred when Cruise automated vehicles abruptly braked. At the time, human safety drivers operated robotaxis.
In addition, the government has received many reports of Cruise robotaxis without human safety drivers becoming stopped in San Francisco traffic, leaving passengers stranded and blocking roads.
The complaints of immobilized vehicles originated from conversations with Cruise, media reports, and local authorities, the NHTSA stated in an investigation document published online on Friday.
According to the NHTSA crash database, there have been two reports of injuries connected to the hard braking, including a cyclist who was critically injured in March.
The NHTSA said it will examine the frequency of the problems and the potential safety risks they pose. The investigation, which involves an estimated 242 autonomous Cruise vehicles, could result in a recall. “With new data, NHTSA may respond to safety issues with further investigation and enforcement,” the agency stated in a statement.
Cruise spokesman Drew Pusateri stated that the business is cooperating with the investigation and that its autonomous vehicles have driven approximately 700,000 miles in a complicated city without causing any injuries or fatalities.
He stated, “This is in the context of more than 40,000 deaths each year on American roadways.” There is always a compromise between sound regulatory oversight and the innovation badly required to save lives.
He stated that no citations were issued in any of the collisions, and that in each case the autonomous vehicle was responding to the aggressive or unpredictable conduct of other road users. “The AV was attempting to mitigate accident severity and injury risk,” wrote Pusateri.
In the cases involving congested traffic, Pusateri noted that the Cruise system is supposed to be cautious, turning on the warning lights and coming to a safe stop if it lacks confidence in moving.
“If necessary, Cruise workers are deployed to acquire the vehicle as soon as possible,” added Pusateri. Such interruptions are uncommon and have not caused any accidents, he wrote.
According to the NHTSA, Cruise reported the three rear-end collisions in accordance with a 2021 mandate mandating automated vehicle manufacturers to report accidents.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the investigation was sparked by three reported rear-end crashes that occurred when Cruise automated vehicles abruptly braked.
AP
The organization stated that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority reported Cruise robotaxis being stopped in traffic.
It is possible for cruise ships to leave people stranded in hazardous areas, such as traffic lanes or crossroads, increasing the risk to those attempting to disembark. And they can force other road users to engage in risky movements in order to avoid collisions. NHTSA stated in the document, “The vehicles may also provide a secondary safety concern by impeding the paths of emergency response vehicles, so prolonging their emergency response times.”
In comments to NHTSA, the municipal transportation agency stated that beginning in May, the city began to get 911 calls from individuals who were inconvenienced by Cruise operations. Several city police officers also observed disabled Cruise vehicles in driving lanes. In June, thirteen Cruise vehicles were involved in an incident on a key route. In August, two further significant obstructions were recorded, according to the agency.
The investigation comes at a crucial time for Cruise, which began charging passengers for autonomous rides in San Francisco without human safety drivers in June. It is also a pivotal time for the autonomous car business, with Google offshoot Waymo operating a robotaxi service in the Phoenix metropolitan region and ambitions to expand to San Francisco. Other businesses are also pushing toward driverless safety services.
The San Francisco-based cruise line Cruise intends to expand service to Phoenix and Austin, Texas.
GM-owned firm has been testing autonomous electric Chevrolet Bolt vehicles for several years.
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