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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 acquired some damages, with the robotaxi seeming to take the brunt of the affect, based on Forbes.
Whereas there aren’t many particulars concerning the accident, Cruise tweeted the next transient assertion after the incident: “Yesterday, considered one of our autos made contact with the rear of a Muni bus. No accidents have 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 acceptable.”
Robotaxi corporations are usually fast to clear issues up if their autos aren’t at fault in incidents. So many are assuming the Cruise robotaxi rear-ended the bus, based mostly partly on Cruise saying within the assertion considered one of its autos “made contact with the rear of a Muni bus.”
This afternoon, considered one of our autos made contact with the rear of a Muni bus. No accidents have been reported, there have been no passengers current within the Cruise AV, and it has been cleared from the scene.
— cruise (@Cruise) March 24, 2023
This incident occurred simply days after one other Cruise robotaxi drove by means of warning tape that closed off a street the place overhead trolley wires had fallen throughout a serious high-wind storm. The automobile hit the wires which have been powered off on the time. Had the ability traces been reside when the automobile hit them, the incident may 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 stated it was curious about two completely different points that had been reported to the administration that each outcome within the robotaxis changing into hazards for others on the street.
NHSTA’s first concern is with the corporate’s robotaxis reportedly braking too laborious in sure circumstances. The administration acquired three studies of a Cruise automobile braking too laborious in response to a automotive approaching them rapidly 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 street. NHSTA has acquired a number of studies of Cruise autos stalling on the street, 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 increase 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 autos have traveled over a million miles. A majority of Cruise’s absolutely driverless miles have 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.
