With the promise of enhanced safety, reduced traffic congestion, increased accessibility for individuals unable to drive, and decreased environmental impact, self-driving cars were heralded as the future of transportation.
However, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has taken a decisive step to suspend the permits that allowed the tech startup Cruise to operate its fleet of driverless cars. This action follows a recent harrowing incident in which a pedestrian was run over by a Cruise autonomous taxi.
The incident, which occurred in San Francisco, took place after the traffic light had turned green, allowing a Cruise vehicle and another car to enter the intersection.
Tragically, the pedestrian was hit by a regular vehicle first, which propelled her into the path of the Cruise autonomous taxi. The autonomous vehicle ran over the woman, stopping on top of her as she screamed in pain. The driverless taxi had no passengers on board.
Firefighters used specialized equipment to lift the car off the woman before transporting her to San Francisco General Hospital, where she remained in critical condition as of late Tuesday afternoon.
The DMV’s order of suspension cited concerns that Cruise’s vehicles may lack the ability to respond appropriately during incidents involving pedestrians.
