Following a series of safety-related investigations, the CEO and co-founder of General Motors’ robotaxi division Cruise, Kyle Vogt, announced his resignation on November 19.
Shortly after his departure, Vogt sent an email to the current workforce stating, “As CEO, I take full responsibility for the situation Crusie is in today. We need to step up our efforts in terms of safety, transparency, and community engagement. Still, I’m excited to see what Cruise has in store for us next!”
General Motors’ Cruise unit was forced to halt testing in Califonia after its Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) suspended the company’s permit for autonomous vehicle deployment. The suspension followed a serious accident that ended with one of Crusie’s self-driving taxis dragging a pedestrian back in October.
The problems facing Cruise are also a blow to an industry that depends on public confidence and regulatory collaboration. In recent months, the company has made great strides toward expanding to new locations and providing fully driverless taxi rides.
Furthermore, the company revealed that former executive vice president of engineering, Mo Elshenawy, will now serve as president and chief technology officer (CTO) for Cruise.
However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an inquiry into pedestrian risks at Cruise in October, and the Cruise board retained Quinn Emanuel, a legal firm, to examine the answers given by Cruise management to regulators looking into the accident that occurred on October 2.
“The last 10 years have been amazing, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped Cruise along the way,” Vogt stated in his email. Shortly after resigning, he added, “Cruise is still just getting started, and I believe it has a great future ahead,” in a post on the social media platform X.
