Breaking News: General Motors' AV Company, Cruise, Resolves Braking Issues with Software Updates
In a major development, General Motors' autonomous vehicle company, Cruise, has successfully resolved long-standing braking issues in its fleet of 1,194 self-driving cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed a nearly two-year probe into the problem after Cruise shipped software updates to mitigate the braking issues.
The recall and probe closure come at a crucial time for Cruise, as the company is facing intense scrutiny. It is currently under investigation by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission following an incident where one of its robotaxis struck a pedestrian. Despite this, Cruise has been making significant changes, including replacing its founder and other leaders, and reaching a settlement with California’s Public Utilities Commission to resume robotaxi services in the state.
The NHTSA's probe into Cruise's hard-braking problems began in December 2022, with a focus on 7,632 braking events. The regulator identified 10 crashes involving Cruise vehicles, four of which resulted in injuries to vulnerable road users. The issues stemmed from inaccurate predictions by Cruise's autonomous system and close proximity of other vehicles to its sensors. However, NHTSA noted significant improvements in Cruise's software updates, with hard braking events now lower than those by human drivers.
This is not the first time Cruise has faced recalls for its AVs, with previous incidents involving crashes with city buses and while making turns. Despite these challenges, Cruise's latest software updates have shown promising results in improving the safety and performance of its self-driving cars.
Analysis: The successful resolution of Cruise's braking issues is a positive step towards ensuring the safety and reliability of autonomous vehicles. Investors should monitor Cruise's progress closely as it navigates through regulatory challenges and works towards resuming its robotaxi services. For consumers, this development highlights the importance of ongoing advancements in autonomous technology to enhance road safety and passenger experience.