In a bold initiative echoing films like “I, Robot,” General Motors (GM) and the autonomous vehicle technology firm Cruise aimed to introduce a robotaxi program. Also known as self-driving cars, the goal was to establish a public taxi transportation system that would operate without any drivers or human oversight.
The initial strategy was to commence testing in 2025 and to officially launch the robotaxi service in 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. However, unlike “I, Robot,” the vehicle did not have a human driver capable of switching to manual control during emergencies or situations demanding human intelligence and instinct. It is not surprising that such a system encountered issues.
One of the Cruise self-driving vehicles collided with a pedestrian, dragging her along the street before finally halting. To exacerbate matters, the company tried to conceal information during the investigation. Ultimately, that incident, along with the time and financial resources required for the program, led GM to terminate the initiative.
In October 2023, one of Cruise’s autonomous vehicles, dubbed the Cruise AV Panini, struck a pedestrian in San Francisco. The female pedestrian was first struck by another vehicle and then knocked down in front of the autonomous car. It collided with her directly, and she fell out of the range of its lidar object detection sensor, leaving it unaware of her presence.
The Panini continued to move forward, dragging the woman underneath for 20 feet before coming to a stop. While the woman survived, she suffered severe injuries. An investigative report regarding the incident by Quinn Emanuel Trial Lawyers noted, “After the AV made contact with the pedestrian, a vigilant human driver would have recognized that an impact had occurred and would not have continued driving without further assessing the situation.” The reasoning is valid, and even New York City has implemented its own safety regulations for robotaxis, insisting on the presence of a human driver.
The Department of Motor Vehicles instructed Cruise to suspend operations in California. Several Cruise executives, including CEO Kyle Vogt, resigned voluntarily. To complicate matters further, during the following investigation, Cruise initially submitted an incomplete report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that omitted details about the woman being dragged. As a result, Cruise incurred a criminal fine.
In December 2024, GM opted to withdraw financial support for Cruise’s robotaxi initiative. In a surprising comment given the gravity of the situation, Cruise’s former CEO and founder, Kyle Vogt, expressed on his X channel, “If there was any confusion before, it is now clear: GM are a bunch of dummies.”
Nonetheless, GM continues to focus on advancing vehicle technology that prioritizes human intelligence. Through what it calls Super Cruise, GM is developing a program that allows the vehicle to drive autonomously when necessary while still having a human in the driver’s seat to take control. It utilizes enhanced sensors and cameras to assist in navigating the car and minimizing human error. A person must be present behind the wheel to prevent a recurrence of the San Francisco incident.
General Motors has been open about its rationale for canceling the robotaxi program. The financial burdens and the extended timeline required for a successful program do not justify GM’s current investment. This incident serves as a cautionary tale for companies pursuing the development of autonomous vehicles, similar to the investigation into the crash involving the Ford Mustang Mach-E’s self-driving vehicle. Completely eliminating human control can pose significant risks.
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