Cruise Settles $112,500 Fine, Expects Restart on Operations in California Soon

Cruise, General Motors' subsidiary for self-driving vehicles, paid the $112,500 fine to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) after failing to provide full information about an accident.

The settlement will clear Cruise from litigation and could help relaunch its operations in the state soon.

Cruise, CPUC Reach Agreement to Settle Dispute

Last year, Cruise was under scrutiny for not providing detailed and significant information about an incident that involved its robotaxis. The CPUC released a settlement agreement for Cruise, allowing the company to pay a fine instead of pursuing litigation.

The ruling stated that CPUC would focus on distributing its resources to Cruise's regulatory oversight instead of engaging in a process of long legal action. The company then expressed gratitude for the decision, citing that they are taking steps to improve their service.

"We conclude that by taking these corrective measures, Cruise is on its way to restoring public trust by making itself a more transparent and cooperative entity that will not hide material information from regulatory agencies who oversee its AV transportation services," the ruling read.

Cruise Takes Responsibility Amid Previous Incidents

Cruise had massive backlash after a robotaxi ran over a pedestrian after it was hit by a human-driven vehicle. The incident caused the pedestrian to be dragged by 20 feet.

The issue quickly escalated as Cruise failed to disclose important information to the CPUC during the initial investigation. Due to this action, Cruise's permit to operate autonomous vehicles in the state was suspended.

According to the settlement, Cruise has been working on its corrective measures which satisfied CPUC's concern about the company's operation. An internal investigation was also conducted to observe the company's operational structure.

Cruise is now required to share incident information with the CPUC regularly. The robotaxi company must also report all collisions reporting and provide monthly reports on all incidents involving its autonomous vehicles.