California regulator probes crashes involving GM’s Cruise robotaxis

A Cruise self-driving vehicle, which is owned by Typical Motors Corp, is viewed exterior the firm’s headquarters in San Francisco the place it does most of its testing, in California, U.S., September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Heather Somerville/File Photograph/ Receive Licensing Rights

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 18 (Reuters) – California’s autos regulator mentioned on Friday it is investigating “modern regarding incidents” involving autonomous vehicles operated by Standard Motors (GM.N) device Cruise in San Francisco and questioned the corporation to take 50 percent its robotaxis off the roadways.

The assertion from California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) came right after a Cruise robotaxi was associated in a crash with an unexpected emergency vehicle in San Francisco late on Thursday, the most up-to-date accident involving the self-driving vehicles.

The regulator also said it has asked Cruise to right away reduce its lively fleet of autos by 50% until eventually the investigation is comprehensive and Cruise takes steps to make improvements to highway safety. Cruise has agreed to a 50% reduction, it extra.

“The DMV reserves the suitable, next investigation of the facts, to suspend or revoke screening and/or deployment permits” if it is established to be an unreasonable hazard to community security, the regulator claimed in a statement.

Cruise stated just one of its autos “entered the intersection on a environmentally friendly mild and was struck by an emergency automobile that appeared to be en route to an emergency scene” after 10 p.m. on Thursday (0500 GMT Friday).

The car or truck “did establish the risk of a collision and initiated a braking maneuver, lowering its velocity, but was finally unable to avoid the collision,” the firm, which is investigating the incident, explained in a assertion on Friday.

Original investigation shows the collision occurred when a fire truck was working in an unexpected emergency with its ahead going through pink lights and siren on, the San Francisco Law enforcement Division explained in a assertion to Reuters.

The police said the sole passenger in the autonomous car or truck (AV) was transported to a regional hospital with non-life-threatening accidents.

The California General public Utilities Commission (CPUC) last 7 days voted to let robotaxis from Cruise and Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Waymo to work at all hrs of the day through San Francisco and cost passengers for rides regardless of sturdy opposition from inhabitants and town businesses.

The two have been managing robotaxi tests constrained by times and geographic areas within just San Francisco.

Town Attorney David Chiu requested the CPUC on Thursday to halt its determination even though the metropolis information for a re-hearing. “We have found that this technological innovation is not however prepared, and inadequate AV effectiveness has interfered with the existence-saving operations of very first responders. San Francisco will endure serious harms from this unfettered expansion,” he claimed in a assertion.

Reporting by Abhirup Roy and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco modifying by Diane Craft and Sonali Paul

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California company probes automakers’ knowledge privateness tactics

Autos journey in website traffic alongside the I5 freeway is proven in Los Angeles, California, U.S., July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photograph

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Reuters) – A California state company on Monday said it is reviewing the privacy practices of automakers and car know-how companies amid problems about the increasing volume of knowledge collected by cars.

The California Privateness Safety Agency (CPPA) said its Enforcement Division is making inquiries about automobiles embedded with options like place sharing, world wide web-based mostly entertainment, smartphone integration, and cameras. The company declined to recognize which firms it is examining.

“Modern day motor vehicles are properly connected pcs on wheels. They’re ready to collect a prosperity of facts by means of developed-in applications, sensors, and cameras, which can keep track of people equally inside of and in the vicinity of the car,” claimed CPPA Govt Director Ashkan Soltani.

The agency stated auto privateness considerations “are essential mainly because these vehicles generally automatically gather consumers’ places, particular choices, and facts about their each day life.”

Regulators all-around the environment have lifted considerations about the quantity of own facts collected by autos that increasingly gather, store and transmit details for amusement, general performance and protection applications.

Last yr, California nonprofit Shopper Watchdog advised the state’s regulator that “automobile data is the new gold hurry of the car sector… Automakers and third-occasion companies know in which we generate, what we obtain, try to eat, our texts. A entire consumer profile is designed with this information to effectively market you points.”

California has a lot more than 35 million registered automobiles, the most of any state.

A trade team symbolizing key automakers did not quickly remark.

In February, the Dutch individual info watchdog reported it would not great Tesla (TSLA.O) over probable privacy violations just after the U.S. carmaker built changes to car or truck stability cameras noting Teslas parked on the road ended up generally filming everyone who came in the vicinity of the car or truck, and these photographs have been staying saved prolonged periods.

Chrysler-guardian Stellantis in January established Mobilisights to license information to a huge vary of shoppers, which includes rival carmakers, drawing on Stellantis’ related autos, which are envisioned to overall 34 million by 2030, up from about 12 million.

Mobilisights claimed it would run underneath rigorous privacy safeguards, sharing only personalized info with consumer consent and permitting proprietors to opt out even soon after consenting.

Reporting by David Shepardson Enhancing by Mark Porter and Aurora Ellis

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