Cruise robotaxi, SF bus concerned in accident

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Final Thursday, March 23, 2023, a Cruise robotaxi, working autonomously and with no driver or passengers within the automobile, was concerned in a minor accident with a San Francisco Muni bus. Nobody was injured within the incident. Each the Cruise automobile and Muni bus obtained some damages, with the robotaxi seeming to take the brunt of the affect, in line with Forbes.

Whereas there aren’t many particulars in regards to the accident, Cruise tweeted the next temporary assertion after the incident: “Yesterday, one in every of our automobiles made contact with the rear of a Muni bus. No accidents had been reported, and there have been no passengers current within the Cruise AV. We’re investigating the incident and can take follow-up actions if applicable.”

Robotaxi firms are sometimes fast to clear issues up if their automobiles aren’t at fault in incidents. So many are assuming the Cruise robotaxi rear-ended the bus, primarily based partly on Cruise saying within the assertion one in every of its automobiles “made contact with the rear of a Muni bus.”

This incident occurred simply days after one other Cruise robotaxi drove by warning tape that closed off a highway the place overhead trolley wires had fallen throughout a serious high-wind storm. The automobile hit the wires which had been powered off on the time. Had the ability strains been reside when the automobile hit them, the incident might have been a lot worse.

In December, the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) introduced it was opening an investigation into the corporate’s automated driving system. In a submitting, NHSTA mentioned it was all for two completely different points that had been reported to the administration that each outcome within the robotaxis changing into hazards for others on the highway. 

NHSTA’s first concern is with the corporate’s robotaxis reportedly braking too exhausting in sure circumstances. The administration obtained three reviews of a Cruise automobile braking too exhausting in response to a automotive approaching them shortly from the rear, ensuing within the Cruise automobile being rear-ended in all three incidents. 

The administration’s second concern is with the robotaxis changing into immobilized on the highway. NHSTA has obtained a number of reviews of Cruise automobiles stalling on the highway, with no human operators current. NHTSA’s Workplace of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary investigation to find out the scope and severity of each points. 

Final week, Cruise filed an software with the California DMV to check its robotaxis statewide. The corporate has been working to broaden its providers in a number of areas, together with in Austin and within the suburbs of Phoenix. It’s additionally working to roll out its purpose-built Origin automobile on public roads in San Francisco. 

Final month, Cruise introduced its absolutely driverless automobiles have traveled over a million miles. A majority of Cruise’s absolutely driverless miles had been pushed in San Francisco, the place the corporate first rolled out its robotaxis in November 2021. 

The Robotic Report reached out to Cruise for particulars on each incidents however hasn’t heard again as of press time. If we do get any extra info, this story might be up to date.