Cruise Has Been Fined $1.5 Million for Failing to Fully Report a Robotaxi Crash With a Pedestrian

Autonomous driving has faced another setback in the United States.

The GM-owned Cruise has been fined $1.5 million for failing to disclose certain details of an accident involving a pedestrian, The Verge reported on Monday. In October, one of Cruise’s driverless vehicles hit a pedestrian and dragged her 20 feet, but the company did not include the details of the dragging in its disclosure. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation, which resulted in the fine.

“It is vitally important for companies developing automated driving systems to prioritize safety and transparency from the start,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman told The Verge. “NHTSA is using its enforcement authority to ensure operators and manufacturers comply with all legal obligations and work to protect all road users.”

NHTSA’s decision also includes a broader consent order with Cruise that encompasses other safety and disclosure requirements, The Verge noted. The federal agency requires crash reports to be filed within a certain time period depending on how serious an accident is, and Cruise sent in several “incomplete reports,” according to the outlet. Both the initial report and one filed 10 days later omitted the information about the dragging.

Along with the NHTSA investigation, the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise’s permit to operate self-driving vehicles in the state, The Verge wrote. In response, Cruise hired a law firm to assess what had gone wrong in its operations; that investigation found that the company had tried to submit a video including the dragging but “internet connectivity issues” hindered the upload. Employees also failed to mention the dragging in follow-up conversations with the agency.

“Our agreement with NHTSA is a step forward in a new chapter for Cruise, building on our progress under new leadership, improved processes and culture, and a firm commitment to greater transparency with our regulators,” Steve Kenner, Cruise’s chief safety officer, said in a statement. “We look forward to continued close collaboration with NHTSA as our operations progress, in service of our shared goal of improving road safety.”

Cruise is working toward hitting the road in California once again, and it’s restarted testing in cities like Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix, The Verge noted. But it’s still under investigation by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. So it may be a while before we see Cruise’s autonomous vehicles take to the streets, at least without a human backup at the wheel.