California regulators impose maximum fines on GM Cruise for withholding accident information

General Motors’ Cruise division has been hit with the maximum fine by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for failing to provide timely, complete information about an accident involving one of its self-driving vehicles last year. The CPUC announced the fine on Thursday, emphasizing the importance of transparency and compliance in the autonomous vehicle industry.

Cruise and other self-driving companies like Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox have faced intense scrutiny from regulators over safety concerns following several accidents involving their autonomous vehicles. This latest incident underscores the ongoing regulatory challenges these companies face as they develop and deploy self-driving technologies.

The CPUC fined Cruise $112,500, calculated as $7,500 for each of the 15 days the company withheld key information about the accident. In addition, Cruise is now required to submit “collision reports” to the CPUC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for all future collisions in California.

The CPUC’s decision comes after Cruise attempted to resolve the issue by extending its offer to settle an investigation into its delay in disclosing details of a pedestrian accident. On October 2, a pedestrian was struck first by another car and then a second time by a Cruise robotaxi in San Francisco. Following that incident, Cruise’s license to operate in California was revoked and the NHTSA recalled its vehicles.

While Cruise has resumed operations in the U.S. with a small fleet of autonomous vehicles in Phoenix, Arizona, its authority to transport passengers in autonomous vehicles remains suspended in California. The CPUC’s decision underscores the importance of self-driving car manufacturers meeting rigorous safety and reporting standards to maintain public trust and regulatory approval.