Autonomous vehicle safety under scrutiny: Cruise revelations, Tesla lawsuit

The much-touted vision of self-driving cars replacing human drivers nationwide seems to be facing significant hurdles. While these futuristic vehicles have become a reality on the streets of Houston, Dallas, Miami, Phoenix, Austin and San Francisco, recent revelations have brought to light serious concerns about their safety and functionality.

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Cruise — which is owned by General Motors and has been offering driverless ride-hailing services for years — is now under scrutiny. Despite the company’s emphasis on safety, The Intercept has reported that Cruise was aware of two critical issues with its technology. The autonomous cars reportedly faced challenges in detecting large holes and struggled with recognizing the presence of children on the road. These revelations stem from the company’s internal communications.

“We have the lowest risk tolerance for contact with children and treat them with the highest safety priority,” Erik Moser, Cruise’s director of communications, said in a statement. “No vehicle — human operated or autonomous — will have zero risk of collision.”

In a separate development, a lawsuit against Tesla is set to go to trial next year, adding another layer to the ongoing discourse about autonomous vehicle safety. A Florida judge has ruled that there is “reasonable evidence” suggesting that Tesla — along with its CEO, Elon Musk — was aware of flaws in the autopilot technology yet allowed its usage.

The case, filed by Kim Banner, revolves around the death of her husband, Jeremy Banner. In 2019, Jeremy activated the autopilot feature in his 2018 Tesla Model 3. He took his hands off the wheel and a tractor trailer moved into his lane. The Tesla did not detect it, so the car drove underneath the truck. This lawsuit highlights growing concerns about the transparency of autonomous vehicle companies regarding the capabilities and potential risks associated with their technologies.