Cruise in Crisis: Autonomous Vehicle Company Faces Fallout After San Francisco Crash

Following a severe accident, Cruise has seen its permits revoked, its fleet recalled, and its CEO resign amid scrutiny over lobbying efforts.

Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, has faced severe repercussions following a crash involving one of its autonomous vehicles in San Francisco on Oct. 2, which resulted in a woman suffering traumatic injuries.
Following the crash, Cruise had its permits revoked, recalled all of its vehicles, and has seen top executives, including co-founder and CEO Kyle Vogt, resign.
Cruise and its main competitor Waymo spent more than $2.3 million combined since 2021 to lobby local and state officials for unfettered access to San Francisco’s roadways.
Cruise's lobbying efforts included employing Axiom Advisors, a firm co-founded by Jason Kinney, a lobbyist with close ties to California Governor Gavin Newsom.
The future of Cruise, which was once expected to bring in a billion dollars in revenue by 2025, is now uncertain, with many not expecting it to receive new permits to operate in California until mid-2024 at the earliest.