Autonomy Hiccups: Cruise's Recall and the Future of Autonomous Vehicle Technology
Understanding the Recall and Software Update
Highlighted by the recent recall of all 950 Cruise automated vehicles from General Motors (GM), the fragility of emerging autonomous technology has been brought to the fore. The recall, aimed at addressing a software glitch that caused a serious accident in San Francisco, has hinted at the uncharted challenges in autonomous driving technology.
According to documents published by the US safety regulators, GM's recall involves updating the software that controls how the vehicles react after an accident. In an incident that shocked many, one of Cruise's autonomous vehicles dragged a pedestrian along a San Francisco street after a collision. The modified software should ensure that Cruise's vehicles remain stationary after similar incidents.
The Realities of Regulatory Scrutiny
This unfortunate event was the catalyst for Cruise's driverless operations to be temporarily suspended nationwide when California regulators decried the company's autonomous vehicles as a public safety risk. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) surprisingly revoked Cruise's license, which previously allowed the transportation of passengers without human drivers in San Francisco.
This regulatory move mirrors a broader trend of increasing oversight in the EV industry, as autonomous vehicles become more prevalent. Federal regulation of these vehicles may also intensify, slowing down the deployment of fully autonomous passenger vehicles. Whether this creates a safer public space or stifles innovation is a question for further debate.
Evolving Safety Measures in Autonomous Vehicles
In the wake of the incident, Cruise is enacting a series of changes. A key change includes the appointment of a Chief Safety Officer and the employment of a law firm to review the company's response to the crash. This move reflects a wider adoption of safety mechanisms throughout the tech industry.
Updating software alone may not be the panacea to all safety issues in autonomous vehicles. Now, more than ever, the importance of safety rules, transparency, and rigorous testing is crystal clear. Cruise aims to promote these values within the company as part of its dedicated response to the incident.
The Implications on Cruise's Future
The incident and subsequent actions by the DMV may have struck a blow to Cruise's future growth prospects. General Motors had high hopes for Cruise, aiming for the unit to generate $1bn in annual revenue by 2025 รข€“ a significant leap from the $106m generated in the last year.
But it is too early to predict what this means for the company's revenue stream. GM has momentarily stopped production of the Origin, an autonomous van engineered for Cruise, with plans to resume production once Cruise resumes autonomous ride-hailing.
Concluding Thoughts
While the incident in October underscores the complexities and risks of deploying autonomous vehicles on public roads, it also provides a necessary real-world test of autonomous vehicle safety mechanisms. Cruise's recall and its actions following the event are reminders to the industry and regulators: Ensuring safety in the world of autonomous vehicles is a work in progress and, as the technology evolves, so must the concerns of safety and accountability.
Orignal story posted at https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/nov/08/cruise-recall-self-driving-cars-gm
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