General Motors’ driverless car subsidiary, Cruise, has had its fleet suspended nationwide following an investigation conducted by a law firm which was hired to review the actions of its top-ranking executives. The report found that the executives’ approach towards state regulators led to a cascade of events that resulted in the suspension. The investigation stemmed from the executives’ failure to explain crucial details about an accident in San Francisco in October, in which a Cruise vehicle dragged a woman. Although the executives did not intentionally mislead state officials, they did not fully disclose key details about the incident. This caused regulators to be concerned about Cruise’s safety practices. As a result of the suspension, Cruise has laid off a large portion of its staff and replaced its co-founder and CEO. The company is hoping that the investigation will restore public faith in its operations and enable it to resume business once again. Cruise is also planning to make changes in its approach to vehicle safety. The report will be shared with relevant government agencies and the public. Waymo has become the only driverless car provider in San Francisco since Cruise was suspended, and has also faced legal challenges over its operations.
