Cruise, the robo-taxi company owned by General Motors, is facing a federal investigation into the risks its driverless cars may pose to pedestrians.
According to reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a preliminary assessment of incidents where cars “encroach or enter pedestrians on the roadway.” document Published on Tuesday. The survey covered 594 Cruise vehicles.
The agency said it had received two reports of pedestrian injuries involving Cruise vehicles, under a June 2021 order requiring automakers and technology companies to report the incidents. NHTSA also said it identified two other related incidents using videos posted on social media sites.
No deaths have been reported related to the vehicle under investigation.
Cruise spokesperson Hannah Lindow said in an email after the investigation was launched that Cruise has been in regular communication with NHTSA and plans to continue working with the agency.
“At a time when pedestrian injuries and fatalities are at an all-time high, Cruise’s safety record of more than 5 million miles continues to outperform similar human drivers,” Cruise said.
One of the incidents involved a hit-and-run accident in San Francisco on October 2, in which a person driving a non-Cruise vehicle struck a pedestrian and threw the pedestrian in front of a Cruise robotaxi. The NHTSA report said the self-driving car stopped but still made contact with the person. The other vehicle fled the scene, and Cruise said at the time it was “actively working with police to help identify the driver.”
Another incident in San Francisco occurred in August when a Cruise vehicle stopped at an intersection and started traveling when the light turned green. Then, a pedestrian walked into the crosswalk. Cruise’s self-driving car tried to swerve and stop, but hit the pedestrian at 1.4 mph. The man went to the hospital complaining of knee pain.
Cruise operates robotaxis in San Francisco and has expanded to other cities including Austin and Phoenix.
Reuters earlier reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s investigation.
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