Cruise AVs Gets Stuck In Wet Concrete In San Francisco
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Following the go-ahead for Cruise – General Motors’ self-driving robotaxi service – to expand operation of its self-driving service, it’s increasingly likely that there will continue to be mishaps as the autonomous-subsidiary continues to work out the kinks in its technology. Now, a Cruise AV was captured getting stuck in wet concrete.
In several videos posted online to social media, we see a Cruise AV – this one nicknamed ‘Oasis’ – that managed to get itself stuck in a sticky situation. For some apparent reason, the robotaxi drove into a section of road that had freshly poured concrete.
It’s worth noting that it’s unclear as to how this happened, as either the road workers failed to install proper signage or the Cruise AV simply ignored any such signage.
“I can see five different scenarios where bad things happen and this is one of them,” one bystander to the incident claimed. “It thinks it’s a road and it ain’t because it ain’t got a brain and it can’t tell that it’s freshly poured concrete. When a light turns green at a traffic light, I just don’t jump on the accelerator. I look left and right for some idiot who’s gonna run the light. It does happen.”
Notably, SFGate was able to confirm that Cruise pulled the robotaxi out of the concrete, and are currently investigating this incident.
This is a new one. A Cruise vehicle got stuck in wet concrete on Golden Gate Avenue yesterday. pic.twitter.com/YJqLe6FIqR
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 16, 2023
For reference, this mishap comes as San Francisco Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson recently claimed that Cruise AV units have the ability to interfere with emergency vehicles, and that her city isn’t ready for a mass rollout of self-driving robotaxi service. To her point, there have been at least two incidents where Cruise AV examples were filmed blocking fire trucks and causing havoc.
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When we still have to deal with thousands of vehicles being recalled for basic things like brakes, steering, transmission, seatbelts, airbags, etc….perhaps we aren’t ready just yet for the self driving car
Too funny. These things (all current autonomous vehicles) are a menace.
The road crew did not put a barrier to protect the concrete so the AV is not all to blame. Just have Cruise watch the recorded video. It is still learning like a new young driver at the wheel. I see many human drivers make worse mistakes. But they don’t make headline articles like this one.
Ah contrar, the LA Times reported the vehicle ignored red cones and drove into the concrete. And you can see the cones in the photo here. The Times also reported a fact I was unaware of. The CPCC which defines the rules for AV’s in Cal is composed of I think it was 5 members. 1 voted against the expansion. The other 5 consists of appointees of Newsom. One of which was the ex top lawyer for cruise. I see a conflict, do you?
I’d also point out I think it was the day before this, a cruise vehicle blew thru a light when there was a fire truck with an active siren and lights hitting the fire truck. The cruise car had a passenger that ended up in the hospital. There are not that many cruise vehicles and almost daily now there is a problem. If a person were that incompetent, they’d lose their license. Time for cruise to go back to driver’s ed and REQUIRE a backup driver instructor.
One of the lies we hear about this money-grabbing venture is that it will save lives by taking the human driver out of the equation, If it is really about safety, these drones will have controls with a driver behind them ready to take the wheel when issues like this happens.
Cruise- in using taxpayer funded infrastructure for free as their proving grounds- promised these drones would no longer make the mistakes that humans do.
It looks like one of those nature documentaries where a predator plant has lured its unsuspecting prey into the trap.
Ok, so how long are we going to endanger ourselves and others with these incompetent self driving vehicles? I seldom read any of the MANY articles about these blunders, but it just seems like it’s time to pull the plug on it. So stupid anyhow. Please tell me the reason we need these in the first place? Seriously stupid.
I think the main reason is that people’s mobility can be limited by getting them out of their privately owned vehicles to “save the planet.” More sinister uses will have the government using these drones to track every movement of its riders.
If you have a cell phone, you are already being tracked. Your call records also track who you know. Google used to (and really probably still does) funnel all the gmail thru its AI engine for ad targeting. Target got in some hot water years ago because they sent baby coupons to a girl(teenager) who they deduced was pregnant based on some supplements she bought. Who needs government snooping when private industry does it for them. Cameras are everywhere. Ring used to do a opt out where they would provide cam footage to LEO. Not sure if they still do. Just think about all those funny videos you see on utube and other video sharing sites. You can’t capture all the “funny” moments without capturing everything.
San Francisco doesn’t seem to be the right place for Cruise. LOTS of mishaps. Perhaps Washington DC might prove to be a more fertile “proving ground”.
This is getting comical, when will these menaces be banned?
With AI and robot run machines, etc. remember this: A MACHINE DOES NOT CARE!
I see the issue, but really don’t think this is “top of the list” of San Francisco’s current major problems.
Yeah, this ain’t even on the list of San Francisco’s problems …….
LMAO. Enough said.
Lots of people jumping to conclusions. We don’t know if there were cones blocking the roadway. A cone to the side 10′ in is not proper marking.
Cone placement notwithstanding, a human driver would probably been able to avoid this.
Pull the plug already and redirect the resources to worthwhile projects.
If you look closely, you can see a couple of syringes in the tires, along with some brown clumping in the treads.
It’s more than obvious this Cruise AV went down a typical SF sidewalk first, before landing in the concrete.