Cruise’s License Suspended Amid Serious Safety Concerns and Allegations of Withholding Crash Footage

Cruise, known for its self-driving vehicles, loses operational license due to charges of concealing safety footage and causing pedestrian injuries; critics see validation of concerns while disability advocates decry loss of accessible transport.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) suspended Cruise’s operational license due to allegations of withholding crash footage and causing pedestrian injuries. Critics see this as validation of concerns around Cruise's technology, but disability advocates are upset about the loss of a transportation option.
The suspension followed an incident where a Cruise autonomous vehicle hit and pinned a pedestrian, then dragged the individual approximately 20 feet. Despite Cruise’s claim of sharing the full incident video with the DMV, the latter asserts that it only learned of the dragging detail from another government agency.
While critics applaud the suspension, disability advocates have raised concerns over the accessibility of transportation options. Cruise's autonomous vehicles, often termed as 'robotaxis', have been lauded for their potential in providing enhanced mobility for those with disabilities.
Cruise recently unveiled their new autonomous vehicle, the Cruise WAV. Built in collaboration with the Cruise Accessibility Council, the company calls it “the world’s first purpose-built, wheelchair accessible, self-driving vehicle” and its suspension could greatly impact those dependent on such specialized transportation options.
The incident has serious repercussions for Cruise, as experts argue that this could lead to introspection and a safety overhaul within the company. Regardless of the outcome, the broader autonomous vehicle industry should not be undermined by this incident, as safety would still be mainly dependent on sound engineering.