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On Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) fined<\/a> Cruise, GM\u2019s self-driving vehicle division, $1.5 million. The penalty was imposed for omitting key details from an October 2023 accident in which one of the company\u2019s autonomous vehicles struck and dragged a San Francisco pedestrian<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cruise is being fined for initially submitting several incomplete reports. The NHTSA\u2019s reports require pre-crash, crash and post-crash details, which the company gave to the agency without a critical detail: that the pedestrian was dragged by the vehicle for 20 feet at around 7 MPH, causing severe injuries. Eventually, the company released a 100-page report<\/a> from a law firm detailing its failures surrounding the accident.<\/p>\n That report states that Cruise executives initially played a video of the accident during October 3 meetings with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office, NHTSA, DMV and other officials. However, the video stream was \u201champered by internet connectivity issues\u201d that concealed the part where the vehicle dragged the victim. Executives, who the report stated knew about the dragging, also failed to verbally mention that crucial detail in the initial meetings because they wanted to let \u201cthe video speak for itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Investigators finally found out about the dragging after the NHTSA asked the company to submit the full video. The government agency says Cruise also amended four other incomplete crash reports involving its vehicles to add additional details.<\/p>\n The NHTSA’s new requirements for Cruise include submitting a corrective action plan, along with others covering its total number of vehicles, their miles traveled and whether they operated without a driver. It also has to summarize software updates that affect operation, report citations and observed violations of traffic laws and let the agency know how it will improve safety. Finally, Cruise will have to meet with the NHTSA quarterly to discuss the state of its operations while reviewing its reports and compliance.<\/p>\n The order lasts at least two years, and the NHTSA can extend it to a third year. Reuters<\/em> reported<\/a> on Monday that, despite the fine, the NHTSA\u2019s investigation into whether Cruise is taking proper safety precautions to protect pedestrians is still open. Cruise still faces probes<\/a> by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.<\/p>\n To say the incident sparked shakeups at Cruise would be an understatement. The company halted its self-driving operations after the accident. Then, last November, the dominoes began to fall: Its CEO resigned<\/a>, and GM said it would cut its Cruise investment<\/a> by \u201chundreds of millions of dollars\u201d and restructure its leadership. Nine more executives were dismissed in December<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, Cruise is trying to rebound under its new leadership. Vehicles with drivers returned to Arizona<\/a> and Houston<\/a> this year, and GM said it\u2019s pouring an additional $850 million into it. Earlier this month, it began operating in California again<\/a>, also with drivers \u2014 which, it\u2019s safe to say, is a good thing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n