Cruise announces voluntary recall of 300 robotaxis after San Francisco collision

Highlights

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• Cruise recalls 300 robotaxis after San Francisco collision with city bus.
• Robotaxi failed to predict bus acceleration and collided with the rear at 12mph.
• No injuries reported, but both vehicles sustained minor damage.
• Cruise has fixed software error and extensively tested updated software.
• Cruise has notified NHTSA and DMV and will cooperate with investigations.

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Cruise, the self-driving unit of General Motors, has announced a voluntary recall of 300 of its robotaxis after one of them rear-ended a city bus in San Francisco last month. The company said it will update the software of the affected vehicles to prevent similar incidents in the future.

According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the crash occurred on March 23 when a Cruise robotaxi was following a bus that stopped at a bus stop. The robotaxi failed to predict that the bus would pull out of the stop and accelerate, and instead assumed that it would remain stationary. As a result, the robotaxi did not slow down or brake and collided with the rear of the bus at a speed of about 12 mph. No injuries were reported, but both vehicles sustained minor damage.

Cruise said it has identified and fixed the root cause of the software error that led to the crash, and has tested the updated software extensively. The company also said it has notified NHTSA and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of the recall and will cooperate with any investigations.

The recall affects 300 Chevrolet Bolt EVs that Cruise has modified with sensors and computers to enable autonomous driving. The company operates a fleet of about 2,000 robotaxis in San Francisco, where it offers ride-hailing services to its employees and select partners. Cruise plans to launch a commercial robotaxi service in San Francisco by the end of this year, pending regulatory approval.

The incident highlights the challenges and risks of developing and deploying self-driving technology on public roads, where unpredictable situations can arise. Cruise is one of several companies that are testing and refining their autonomous vehicles in various cities around the world, hoping to eventually offer safe and convenient transportation alternatives to human drivers.