Cruise, GM’s self-driving unit, recently reported a voluntary recall to update the software of 300 robotaxis following a collision with a city bus in San Francisco. The company filed the recall with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), stating that under rare circumstances, the software might inaccurately predict the movement of articulated vehicles.
Addressing the incident
The low-speed crash occurred on March 23 when a Cruise robotaxi rear-ended an articulated San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority bus. No injuries were reported, but the self-driving software failed to predict the bus’s movement accurately, leading to a late brake and collision. The accident caused minor damage to the front fender of the autonomous vehicle (AV).
Cruise co-founder and CEO Kyle Vogt addressed the incident in a blog post, stating that such accidents are rare but require immediate and careful study. The company’s engineers responded to the crash, and Cruise updated the software on March 25, reporting that the issue had been resolved.
Last September, Cruise recalled and updated software for 80 robotaxis after a June crash that caused minor injuries to two passengers. The incident gained national attention, occurring just a day after Cruise received the final permit from California regulators to commercialize its driverless robotaxi service. The recall addressed a rare situation where the automated driving system made the robotaxi, without a human safety driver, hard brake during an unprotected left turn.
What is a robotaxi?
A robotaxi is an autonomous vehicle designed to transport passengers without the need for a human driver. Self-driving taxis, or robotaxis, combine sensors, cameras, and advanced algorithms to navigate traffic, obey rules, and safely reach destinations. They hold the potential to revolutionize transportation by reducing personal car ownership, decreasing traffic congestion, and enhancing overall road safety.
As robotaxi technology advances, various companies and automakers work diligently to develop and deploy these vehicles on a large scale. However, widespread adoption of robotaxis faces challenges. Ensuring safety and reliability of these autonomous vehicles is a top priority. Incidents like the recent Cruise recall serve as important reminders. Ongoing improvements and updates are necessary for the success of the robotaxi industry.
