Cruise, the self-driving unit of GM, has filed a voluntary recall with federal regulators to update the software in 300 robotaxis after one struck the back of a city bus in San Francisco. The company said that an error was detected in the software and that updated versions would be sent to all owners over the next few weeks.
Cruise has initiated a voluntary recall of vehicles in the U.S. because the software that predicts their movements could inaccurately predict how an articulated vehicle would move. In rare circumstances, this could lead to a crash.
Saying that the low-speed crash was minor is an understatement. The front fender of the AV was dented and there were no reported injuries, which speaks volumes about the safety of Cruise’s self-driving software. When it comes to managing movements in unpredictable environments, such as those found on city streets, cruise ships, or other transportation hubs packed with buses and pedestrians, relying on software alone may not be enough. Continued research into artificial intelligence and pedestrian sensing is required to make sure these vehicles stay safe on the roadways of tomorrow.
The co-founders of Cruise, Kyle Vogt and Toni Reid, had a momentary scare when their white AV suddenly pulled out in front of a city bus. Luckily there were no injuries and the team is taking the incident very seriously. This sort of thing is fortunately rare for Cruise vehicles, but it’s something they’re still investigating to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
It was not until weeks after the April 13 crash that Cruise engineers discovered that software installed on the plane to prevent stalling had failed, leading to the accident. It was later revealed that this software update – which introduced a new procedure for monitoring and managing cruise settings – had been installed by mistake. The company has said that this error does not appear to have caused the crash, but investigations are still ongoing.
Cruise’s robotaxis suffered a software defect that necessitated a recall and update in 80 of the vehicles last September. The defective software impacted the vehicle’s ability to detect rider interactions and caused two minor injuries in June. The company received its final permit from California regulators just one day after the crash, prompting national attention.
Cruise’s automated driving system caused a problem with the driverless robotaxi, which in turn led to a recall of the software. The issue was not with Cruise’s technology as a whole, but with one particular aspect of it. This rare circumstance is why Cruise issued the recall, and it should be noted that all cars using their automated driving system are still safe to use.
The voluntary filing by Cruise is significant because it shows that the company is aware of the safety concerns surrounding its software and is working to address them. This move could help to improve public trust in Cruise and its operations.
