US safety authorities are now looking into reports about GM's Cruise autonomous robotaxis that suddenly became"immobilized while operating," according to a filing.
AP. reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) started the probe after receiving three allegations of Cruise automated cars braking suddenly and being struck from behind by other cars, which were operated by human safety drivers at the time.
COLMA, CA - JULY 25: The General Motors logo is displayed on a car a Chevrolet dealership on July 25, 2018 in Colma, California. General Motors lowered its profit forecasts citing higher steel and aluminum costs due to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
Stuck in San Francisco Traffic
Several reports of Cruise robotaxis without human safety drivers becoming stuck in San Francisco traffic, potentially stranding passengers and blocking lanes, have also been filed with the agency.
The safety administration stated in an investigation report published on its website on Friday that claims of immobilized autonomous vehicles were based on discussions with Cruise, news sources, and local authorities.
According to the NHTSA collision database, there have been two instances of similar injuries, including significant injuries to a cyclist in March.
NHTSA said that it will be evaluating how frequently the issues occur and any potential safety hazards they may cause for customers. A recall might result from the investigation, which is thought to involve 242 Cruise driverless vehicles.
Cruise spokesman Drew Pusateri claims that the business is cooperating with the investigation and that its autonomous vehicles have covered approximately 700,000 kilometers in a large city without causing any serious accidents or fatalities.
He added that no penalties were issued by the police in any of the collisions, and in each instance, the autonomous car was reacting to the hostile or unpredictable behavior of other road users.
Meanwhile, Pusateri claimed that whenever Cruise technology isn't very sure about moving, it's supposed to be conservative, switching on hazard lights and coming to a safe stop in cases that involve clogged traffic.
Read also: General Motors: Clean Energy for US Facilities by 2025-Program Accelerated to Avoid Carbon Emissions
Rear-end Collisions
According to NHTSA, Cruise reported the three rear-end collisions in accordance with a 2021 mandate requiring autonomous vehicle manufacturers to disclose collisions to the agency.
The agency also said that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority reported receiving reports of Cruise robotaxis becoming stuck in traffic.
"The vehicles may also present a secondary safety risk, by obstructing the paths of emergency response vehicles and thereby delaying their emergency response times," the agency said in the paper, obtained by AP.
The probe comes at a time when Cruise started charging customers for autonomous rides in San Francisco in June without the aid of human safety drivers.
Related Article: GM to Feature Chevy EV Models in an Ad Campaign for NFL 2022, Promotes Mainstream Adoption for EVs
