GM Cruise Recalls Entire Fleet After Pedestrian Dragging Incident
General Motors' autonomous vehicle subsidiary Cruise recalls all 950 of its self-driving cars for a critical software update following a crash where a vehicle drags a pedestrian.
Cruise, the self-driving vehicle subsidiary of General Motors, recalls all 950 of its autonomous vehicles to undergo a critical software update. This massive recall follows a highly publicized incident in early October where one of Cruise's robotaxis strikes and slowly drags a pedestrian for approximately 20 feet. The vehicle fails to detect that the injured person is trapped underneath it after the initial impact.
The incident sparks intense scrutiny and regulatory action against the company. The California Department of Motor Vehicles suspends Cruise's permits to operate in the state, accusing the company of a lack of cooperation during the crash investigation. In response, Cruise completely halts all of its driverless testing operations nationwide while it investigates both the crash and its own internal response to the emergency.
The required software update specifically addresses how the autonomous vehicle behaves immediately after detecting a collision. In the October crash, the system incorrectly classifies the impact as a side strike rather than a front-end collision, which leads to the tragic dragging event. Additionally, General Motors pauses the production of its Cruise Origin test vehicles, though a company spokesperson reaffirms GM's ongoing commitment to autonomous vehicle technology.