Common Motors’ Cruise mentioned Monday it named a longtime auto and tech trade worker as head of security for the robotaxi unit.
Cruise named Steve Kenner as its chief security officer, who will oversee Cruise’s security administration techniques and operations.
Kenner started has profession at GM in 1978 and beforehand labored as world director of automotive security at Ford, amongst different jobs. He was most just lately vp of security at self-driving trucking firm Kodiak and likewise labored at Apple, Uber, Locomation, Chrysler and Aurora.
Kenner’s appointment comes at a important time for Cruise.
On Oct. 2, a pedestrian in San Francisco hit by one other car was thrown into the trail of a self-driving Cruise car and dragged 20 ft.
Within the aftermath, California suspended the corporate’s driverless testing license, and Cruise pulled all its U.S. self-driving automobiles from testing. The unit’s CEO, Kyle Vogt, and co-founder Dan Kan resigned in November.
“Security governance is a important gating issue as we return to our mission and get Cruise vehicles again on the street safely,” mentioned Cruise Co-President Mo Elshenawy.
Cruise commissioned a report from regulation agency Quinn Emanuel that mentioned the corporate didn’t intend to mislead. A separate technical overview by engineering agency Exponent discovered the Cruise car suffered from mapping errors and incorrectly recognized hitting the girl as a facet affect collision, the report acknowledged. Cruise has since up to date its software program.
In December, Cruise introduced it was decreasing its workforce by 24% and GM mentioned final month it was reducing spending at Cruise by about USD 1 billion in 2024.
The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration has individually opened an investigation into pedestrian dangers at Cruise.
Final week, Cruise raised its supply to resolve an investigation by a California regulator over its delay in disclosing the small print of the Oct. 2 pedestrian crash
Kenner mentioned in a press release he appears to be like ahead to incomes the belief of regulators. “We’ve the identical objective as regulators: to make our roadways safer and set up public confidence within the AV trade.”
