Cruise faces $1.5 million fine for withholding information about robotaxi crash

A California regulator has accused Cruise, an unmanned taxi service (owned by GM), of providing false data about an accident in San Francisco. The company could face a fine of up to $1.5 million.

Here's What We Know

The incident took place on 2 October 2023. The Cruise robotaxi hit a pedestrian who had already suffered a collision with another vehicle. According to regulator documents, on the day of the accident, a Cruise spokesperson said over the phone that the robot car stopped immediately.

However, video footage showed that the car dragged the victim 20 feet (6 metres) before slowing down. This fact was concealed by Cruise for about two weeks. The company could face a $100,000 per day fine for withholding material details of the accident.

The incident led to the suspension of Cruise's robotaxi licence in California and the resignation of the CEO. According to GM's CEO, the story showed the importance of transparency and building relationships with regulators when introducing new technologies.

Source: TechXplore