GM halts Robotaxi program Cruise

The production of the vehicles named "Origin", which were originally developed in collaboration with Honda, has been temporarily halted after the manufacturing of a limited number of pre-series vehicles. This production stop was announced by a spokesperson from General Motors on Tuesday, without providing specific details on when production might resume. The Origin-type vehicles, which are designed without a steering wheel and pedals, were also intended to be used in Japan in the future. These rectangular vehicles with sliding doors are specially designed to not allocate space for a human driver.

Accidents with Pedestrians

The decision by the California Transportation Authority to ban rides without safety drivers due to two accidents involving pedestrians marked a critical turning point. This resulted in Cruise having to temporarily suspend its driverless operations not only in San Francisco but also at other locations. In contrast, the authority continues to allow vehicles from competitor Waymo to drive through San Francisco without a driver.

In particular, the accident in early October, in which a woman was hit and dragged several meters by a Cruise vehicle, was the trigger for the ban. According to the accident report, the pedestrian was first hit by another vehicle with a human driver and then thrown in front of the self-driving car. Although the self-driving car braked immediately, it could no longer prevent the collision.

Vehicle Misconduct at the Accident Scene

The traffic authority mainly criticized the behavior of the robotaxi after the accident. Although the vehicle initially stopped, it then tried to drive to the side of the road. In the process, the woman trapped under the car was dragged about six meters, and the vehicle reached a speed of around eleven kilometers per hour.

Furthermore, the traffic authority encountered misunderstandings in Cruise's representation of the accident. The company is now required to review the initial communication with the authorities after the accident.

What is happening with the Ridehail project in Japan?

It was only in mid-October that GM, together with Honda, announced plans to bring the autonomous ride service to Japan. In a press release from GM, it was stated that the opportunities for the autonomous ride service are particularly high in Japan. Japan has the potential to become one of the world's largest driverless ridehail markets, as there is high demand for taxis in large cities. Additionally, there is a growing need for new modes of transportation in the region due to a decreasing number of available drivers and increasing demand for barrier-free transportation.

To meet these needs, the joint venture will use the Origin, a vehicle developed jointly by GM, Cruise, and Honda, specifically designed for autonomous transport. The vehicle offers space for six passengers, who can sit face-to-face, providing customers with a new and comfortable way of traveling.