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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 impression, based on Forbes.
Whereas there aren’t many particulars concerning the accident, Cruise tweeted the next temporary assertion after the incident: “Yesterday, one among our autos 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 acceptable.”
Robotaxi firms 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, primarily based partly on Cruise saying within the assertion one among its autos “made contact with the rear of a Muni bus.”
This afternoon, one among our autos made contact with the rear of a Muni bus. No accidents had 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 way of warning tape that closed off a street the place overhead trolley wires had fallen throughout a significant high-wind storm. The automobile hit the wires which had been powered off on the time. Had the facility strains been dwell 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 stated it was all in favour of 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 exhausting in sure circumstances. The administration acquired three stories 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 street. NHSTA has acquired a number of stories 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 utility with the California DMV to check its robotaxis statewide. The corporate has been working to develop its companies 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 totally driverless autos have traveled over a million miles. A majority of Cruise’s totally 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 will probably be up to date.
