Back in early June, the California Department of Motor Vehicles awarded GM-owned autonomous driving firm Cruise with a permit allowing it to begin charging passengers for rides in its driverless Chevy Bolt EV robotaxis. One day after Cruise received the permit, one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a t-bone-style crash that resulted in injuries to occupants of both vehicles.
According to Automotive News, which found a DMV report authored by GM related to the crash, the Cruise AV was operating in driverless autonomous mode and travelling eastbound on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco when it approached an intersection and entered the left-hand turn lane. The Cruise AV switched its signal on and initiated the left turn through a green light as a Toyota Prius travelling westbound entered the right-hand turn lane. At this point, the Cruise AV came to a stop in the intersection before attempting to complete its turn onto Spruce Street, with the Prius continuing straight through the intersection despite having previously entered the turn lane. The Prius then made contact with the side of the Cruise AV, damaging its right rear.
The DMV report indicates that “occupants of both vehicles received medical treatment for allegedly minor injuries,” following the crash and a police report was filed. The Cruise AV was later towed from the scene. The San Francisco Police could not independently verify the GM report when asked by AN, and could not locate a crash report from the accident. A spokesperson also declined to provide reasoning for why the Cruise AV stopped in the intersection instead of continuing through it at regular speed.
GM would also not say whether the occupant of the Cruise AV was one of its employees testing the vehicle, or if it was a passenger that had ordered the vehicle through its ride-hailing service. AN tried to inquire if its autonomous test vehicles have working side airbags or side-curtain airbags, as well, and if they deployed during the crash, but did not receive an answer.
Cruise made headlines earlier this year when one of its driverless vehicles was pulled over by the San Francisco PD and drove away from the scene, accelerating through an intersection before coming to a stop a few hundred feet down the road. In another incident, a Cruise AV partially blocked the path of a San Francisco Fire Department vehicle that was headed to an emergency after it double-parked on a busy roadway to let a passenger out.
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Comments
Zero Crashes?
Lolol Mary Barra is very delusional.
Sounds like the driver of the Prius is at fault.
If it were 2 vehicles with drivers, the AV driver would be at fault for not yielding to oncoming traffic. Even if the Prius would have turned right, the AV should not begin to make a left turn onto the intersecting street until the oncoming vehicle has completed the turn and is out of the way. Sounds like it may have still been in a collision even if the Prius tried to turn right.
The Prius was in a Right Turn ONLY lane.
Good get these crappy vehicles banned.
OK folks, here’s the deal. The Prius driver had to be at fault. The Cruise initiated a left turn and stopped for whatever reason, we don’t know, as stated the Prius DRIVER hit the Cruise. Let’s go through a few scenarios
leaving out the bias about the Cruise and the Prius as both cars are typically hated on GMA. Scenario 1) Chevy PU
makes right turn stops gets hit in the right rear by Ford PU, probably this scenario would get little attention or comments. Scenario 2) Chevy PU makes right turn, stops for old lady crossing the road Ford PU hit Chevy. Here maybe a few comments bashing the Ford driver because this is GMA not FA. Scenario 3) Chevy PU and Ford PU pull up to an intersection opposite each other in their correct lanes. While waiting for the light to change both drivers are eyeing each other up. The Chevy passenger gives a double bird to the Ford driver to which the Ford driver rolls his window down stick his arm out and makes an up and down motion with his hand similar to what women do while using there Shake Wait. The light turns green the Chevy makes his left turn the Chevy passenger gives the stink eye to the Ford, the Ford driver is enraged and floors it hitting the Chevy PU in the right rear bed.
The comment section explodes with various comment of what they would have done in that situation.
Let’s change the Headlines. Cruise makes left hand turn gets hit by Prius, both Prius driver and Chevy passenger
get out of these pieces of crap and give each other a hi five and go home.
These crashes are going to windup in court someday. Wonder how Insurance company handles these incident s?
The Cruise is at fault. The driver of the Pirus may have swerved in tge right turn lane to avoid contact with the Cruise. Time to pull these Cruises off the street.
In the interest of public safety, driverless autonomous vehicles should be banned from production and all public highways. The risk of injuries or fatalities is too great. Passenger airlines with the most advanced computer systems have resulted in fatal airline accidents, that could have been avoided with less computer technology. To rely on driverless vehicles, or fly on a pilotless airline is a receipt for disaster. Put a stop to the invention of more ridiculous technology. The world will be a safer place.
Because it didn’t have a driver! DUH! These things are a menace and should be banned!
No driver, what could go wrong? Law suits on the way.