The San Francisco Police Division is investigating an October 2 incident that left a lady caught beneath a Cruise robotaxi after being hit by a human-driven automobile.

Video captured by Cruise and seen by TechCrunch exhibits a robotaxi braking after which operating over a pedestrian who’s laying on the street after being struck by a human-driven automotive and launched in entrance of the autonomous automobile. Cruise mentioned the driver of the automobile who initially hit the pedestrian fled the scene. 

Cruise mentioned in its account of the occasions that the robotaxi “braked aggressively” to attenuate impression. Nonetheless, the pedestrian was run over after which caught below the automobile, in line with police in addition to video from native bystanders that present the individual below the robotaxi.

TechCrunch seen the video, which exhibits a Cruise automobile stopped at a visitors gentle after which continuing as soon as it turned inexperienced. The cameras, which embody a forward-facing, rear-facing and side-facing cameras, captures a human-driven automobile within the left lane accelerating by means of the intersection. Moments later, the video exhibits an individual, who has entered the road on the far left facet, being hit by the human-driven automotive, then flying over the entrance hood, up onto the roof of the automobile and down the suitable facet earlier than falling into the road. The pedestrian landed within the lane to the suitable of the human-driven automobile, which is the place the Cruise robotaxi was.

Police are nonetheless investigating the matter. A San Francisco Police Division spokesperson launched an announcement:

On 10/02/23 at roughly 9:31 pm officers responded to fifth and Market Streets relating to a automobile collision involving a pedestrian. Officers arrived on scene and found an autonomous automobile struck an grownup pedestrian. Officers rendered assist and summoned medics to the scene and transported the pedestrian to the hospital. The medical situation of the pedestrian is unknown presently.

The autonomous automobile remained on scene and didn’t have an occupant on the time of the collision. The operator of the autonomous automobile is cooperating with the investigation. We consider that one other automobile that was not an autonomous automobile might have been initially concerned within the collision, however the automobile or driver weren’t current on the scene throughout our investigation. The SFPD Site visitors Collision Investigations Unit is main the investigation and is trying into the components that result in this collision. Anybody with data is requested to contact SFPD at 415-575-4444 or textual content a tip to TIP411 and start the message with SFPD.

Cruise was fast to weigh in on the incident, taking to social media web site X to offer its account.

“At roughly 9:30 pm on October 2, a human-driven automobile struck a pedestrian whereas touring within the lane instantly to the left of a Cruise AV,” the submit mentioned. “The preliminary impression was extreme and launched the pedestrian immediately in entrance of the AV. The AV then braked aggressively to attenuate the impression. The motive force of the opposite automobile fled the scene, and on the request of the police the AV was saved in place. Our heartfelt concern and focus is the wellbeing of the one who was injured and we’re actively working with police to assist determine the accountable driver.”

The occasion is the most recent in a string of crashes and different incidents comparable to blocking visitors and driving into moist cement that has plagued Cruise operations in San Francisco. Primarily based on Cruise’s account it seems the corporate wasn’t at fault within the preliminary impression of the pedestrian. An investigation ought to assist decide if the AV might have averted the pedestrian in any respect.

However in a metropolis already divided on robotaxis, whether or not Cruise is accountable won’t matter. The incident comes at a important time for Cruise, an organization attempting to scale robotaxi operations in San Francisco and start testing and finally cost for rides in greater than a dozen U.S. cities.

Cruise and Waymo gained approval in August from the California Public Utilities Fee to develop industrial operations in San Francisco. The CPUC, the company that regulates ride-hailing operations together with these involving robotaxis, accepted Cruise and Waymo on August 10 for ultimate permits that permit the businesses to function 24 hours a day, seven days every week, develop their fleets and cost for rides all through town.

Simply days later, Cruise was concerned in a crash with an emergency response automobile, prompting the California Division of Motor Automobiles, which additionally regulates autonomous autos, to request Cruise cut back its fleet by 50% till it might full an investigation.