This Cruise in San Francisco seemingly could not figure out how to pull aside on a narrow street to let a buss pass.
Matt Rosoff, CNBC
General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle unit has dismissed nine “key leaders” amid ongoing safety investigations sparked by an October accident in San Francisco, according to an internal message obtained by CNBC.
The departures include leaders from Cruise’s legal, government affairs, commercial operations and safety and systems teams, according to the company-wide message, which GM and Cruise spokespeople confirmed was authentic.
The message said “that new leadership is necessary” for the company to regain trust and operate “with the highest standards when it comes to safety, integrity, and accountability.”
The shakeup, which was first reported by Reuters, follows an initial analysis of Cruise’s response to an Oct. 2 accident involving one of Cruise’s robotaxis, which dragged a pedestrian after the person was struck by another vehicle. Last month, Cruise paused all roadway operations in the U.S. following reports of the accident.
The company also faces regulatory pressure and fines for potentially misleading or withholding information about the accident.
GM CEO Mary Barra, who also serves as chair of Cruise, last week said the company is “very focused on righting the ship” at Cruise. Its actions include two ongoing external safety reviews that will guide the company’s path forward. They are expected to be completed in early 2024.
“The personnel decisions made today are a necessary step for Cruise to move forward as it focuses on accountability, trust and transparency. GM remains committed to supporting Cruise in these efforts,” GM said in an emailed statement Wednesday.
Cruise CEO and co-founder Kyle Vogt and co-founder and Chief Product Officer Dan Kan also both resigned from the self-driving taxi company.
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