By Andrew J. Hawkins , transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeare

Cruise hit with $1.5 million fine for failing to report robotaxi crash involving pedestrian

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2024-09-30 17:00:05

By Andrew J. Hawkins , transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.

Cruise’s failure to disclose the fact that a pedestrian was seriously injured by one of its driverless vehicles in San Francisco last year has now resulted in a $1.5 million fine to the federal government.

Last October, a Cruise vehicle hit a pedestrian and then dragged her 20 feet after she was initially struck by a human driver in a hit-and-run incident. In the aftermath, Cruise disclosed that its vehicle had struck a pedestrian but omitted details about the victim being dragged. As a result, the California Department of Motor Vehicles pulled the GM-backed company’s permit to operate self-driving cars in the state, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into the incident.

Today, NHTSA announced the $1.5 million penalty as part of a broader consent order with Cruise that includes additional requirements around safety and disclosure. The company submitted several “incomplete reports” under the agency’s Standing General Order, which requires crash reports to be filed within a certain period of time, depending on their severity.