US Safety Probe Into GM’s Cruise Shut Down

General Motors’ Cruise unit is no longer being investigated by the US transportation safety regulator over a braking issue, but other investigations into a high profile accident last year continue.

Reuters reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as saying on Thursday it was closing its preliminary evaluation into hard braking and immobilisation in the Cruise autonomous ride-hailing vehicles.

It has been a busy month for the firm. Last month Cruise announced it was abandoning its Origin robotaxi – a purpose-built pod-like vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals – and would instead use the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt.

Braking investigation

The firm also confirmed at the time that it would take a $583m charge due to a write-off of Origin assets and other restructuring costs.

And now the US transportation safety regulator has confirmed it has ended its investigation into Cruise – over a braking issue.

“In view of the recall action taken by Cruise and ODI’s analysis of the available data, including data presented by Cruise demonstrating a reduced occurrence of hard braking incidents after the software updates, ODI (Office of Defects Investigation) is closing this Preliminary Evaluation,” NHTSA was quoted by Reuters as stating in a letter.

Other investigations

However it should be noted that Cruise still faces investigations by the Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission following an accident last October in which one of its robotaxis struck and dragged a female pedestrian.

The pedestrian had been struck by a hit and run driver who fled the scene.

Unfortunately the pedestrian had been flung into the path of a Cruise vehicle and then dragged beneath the AV as it manoeuvred 20 feet (6 metres) to the curb.

The critically injured female pedestrian was pinned beneath its rear wheels and had to be extracted from under the robotaxi with the help of the “jaws of life” by the Fire Department, before being taken to San Francisco General Hospital with “multiple traumatic injuries.”

The California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise’s licence to operate in the state. California regulators also began a probe of the firm, alleging that Cruise initially covered up some of the more grisly details of the October accident, and could fine the firm $1.5 million (£1.2m).

Cruise said it would pause all driverless operations for a review by independent experts and recalled all of its 950 vehicles for a software upgrade.

The pedestrian who was struck eventually left hospital and it has been reported in media outlets that Cruise had reached an $8 million to $12 million settlement with the pedestrian.

Cruise resumed robotaxi operations earlier this year.

UPDATE: It later emerged that Cruise will has agreed to recall nearly 1,200 robotaxis over the hard braking issues.