By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Monday that General Motors’ self-driving car unit Cruise will pay a $1.5 million fine after it failed to disclose details of a serious October 2023 crash involving a pedestrian.
Under the settlement, Cruise must submit to NHTSA a corrective action plan on how it will improve its compliance with reporting of serious incidents and face enhanced reporting requirements for at least two years.
Cruise also faces ongoing investigations by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission following the accident in which one of its robotaxis in San Francisco struck a pedestrian after she was hit by another vehicle and dragged her 20 feet (6.1 meters).
In October 2023, Cruise employees tried to convince NHTSA not to open an investigation into the injury incident and submitted reports that failed to disclose the pedestrian had been dragged, a report commissioned by GM said.
Cruise Chief Safety Officer Steve Kenner said the agreement with the agency “is a step forward in a new chapter for Cruise, building on our progress under new leadership, improved processes and culture, and a firm commitment to greater transparency with our regulators.”