The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Monday that General Motors’ self-driving unit, Cruise, will pay a $1.5 million fine for failing to disclose details about a serious crash involving a pedestrian in October 2023.
As part of the settlement, Cruise is required to submit a corrective action plan to NHTSA outlining how it will enhance its compliance with serious incident reporting. Additionally, the company will face stricter reporting requirements for at least two years. Ongoing investigations by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission are also underway following the incident, where one of Cruise’s robotaxis in San Francisco struck a pedestrian after she had been hit by another vehicle and dragged for 20 feet (6.1 meters).
In October 2023, Cruise employees attempted to dissuade NHTSA from initiating an investigation into the incident and provided reports that failed to mention that the pedestrian had been dragged, according to a report commissioned by GM. Cruise’s Chief Safety Officer, Steve Kenner, stated that the agreement with NHTSA “marks a step forward in a new chapter for Cruise, building on our progress under new leadership, improved processes and culture, and a firm commitment to greater transparency with our regulators.”
NHTSA noted that Cruise submitted several incomplete reports regarding crashes involving automated driving systems, including two related to the October incident. The agency found that Cruise had omitted crucial details after reviewing video footage it requested, and Cruise has since amended four other reports to include additional information about other crashes.
NHTSA’s investigation into whether Cruise is taking adequate precautions with its autonomous robotaxis to protect pedestrians is still ongoing.
In August, Cruise recalled 1,200 robotaxis due to hard braking issues following a safety probe by NHTSA. GM announced in July that it would indefinitely suspend plans to utilize its self-driving Origin vehicle, which lacks a steering wheel.
In the wake of the October crash and subsequent investigations, Cruise’s CEO resigned last year, and General Motors revealed plans to reduce spending on the self-driving unit. The California Public Utilities Commission also imposed the maximum penalty of $112,500 on Cruise for failing to promptly provide complete information about the crash.
