(Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
UPDATE 10/27: After the California DMV suspended the company’s state permit to operate its vehicles, Cruise has halted operations in all markets "to rebuild trust."
Original Story:A Cruise driverless car has been involved in another accident in San Francisco, and this time the robotaxi ran over a woman who was flung into the car’s path.
But it looks like the robotaxi didn't cause the accident. In a statement, Cruise said the woman was walking across moving traffic during a green light around 9:30 p.m. A human-driven car to the left of the Cruise vehicle struck the pedestrian, sending her body into the path of the Cruise autonomous vehicle.
"The initial impact was severe and launched the pedestrian directly in front of the AV. The AV then braked aggressively to minimize the impact,” Cruise said in a statement.
The person behind the human-driven car fled the scene. Meanwhile, the Cruise vehicle — which had no human driver in it all — remained at the intersection. “Our heartfelt concern and focus is the wellbeing of the person who was injured and we are actively working with police to help identify the responsible driver,” added the company, which is owned by General Motors.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports the unnamed woman has been hospitalized and is currently in critical condition. Video also shows the Cruise car running over the woman and pinning her to the ground before local firefighters lifted the vehicle off her body.
The incident occurs amid a growing debate in San Francisco over driverless robotaxis and whether they’re a benefit or a potential safety threat. Last month, Cruise reduced its fleet by 50% in the city after one of the company’s driverless vehicles crashed into a fire truck.
Even so, Cruise’s CEO says San Francisco should welcome autonomous vehicles, arguing that robocars have been shown to have a better safety record than human drivers.