WASHINGTON – U.S. auto security regulators stated Friday they’ve opened a proper security probe into the autonomous driving system in automobiles produced by Common Motors’ robotaxi unit Cruise LLC.

The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) stated it has obtained notices of incidents by which automobiles operated by Cruise “might interact in inappropriately arduous braking or develop into immobilized.”

The company stated whereas each points “seem like distinct, they every outcome within the Cruise automobiles turning into sudden roadway obstacles.” The protection company’s preliminary analysis covers 242 Cruise autonomous automobiles and is step one earlier than it may search a recall.

The investigation follows stories of three crashes by which Cruise automobiles had been struck from behind by different automobiles after the autonomous automobiles braked shortly.

Cruise is providing restricted service in San Francisco with a small fleet of Chevrolet Bolt EVs.

Cruise stated it has “pushed practically 700,000 absolutely autonomous miles in a particularly advanced city atmosphere with zero life-threatening accidents or fatalities…. There’s all the time a stability between wholesome regulatory scrutiny and the innovation we desperately want to save lots of lives, which is why we’ll proceed to totally cooperate with NHTSA or any regulator in reaching that shared purpose.”

NHTSA stated it plans to totally assess the potential safety-related points posed by these two varieties of incidents and can evaluation “the commonality and security logic of the arduous braking incidents” and the “frequency, length and security penalties related to the automobile immobilization incidents.”

Final month, Cruise Chief Working Officer Gil West informed Reuters the corporate plans to enter a “giant variety of markets” and scale operations as much as “1000’s of automobiles” in 2023.

NHTSA stated the problems “might introduce a number of potential hazards akin to a collision with a Cruise automobile, danger to a stranded passenger exiting an immobilized Cruise automobile, or obstruction of different visitors together with emergency automobiles.”

The company stated it has three stories of Cruise automobiles automated driving system “initiating a tough braking maneuver in response to a different highway consumer that was shortly approaching from the rear. In every case, the opposite highway consumer subsequently struck the rear of the ADS-equipped automobile.”

Cruise stated police didn’t ticket their automobiles in any of the three crashes.

NHTSA stated it has been notified of a number of stories involving Cruise automobiles working with out onboard human supervision turning into immobilized, which “might strand automobile passengers in unsafe areas, akin to lanes of journey or intersections, and develop into an sudden impediment to different highway customers.”

Cruise in September recalled and up to date software program in 80 self-driving automobiles after a June crash in San Francisco that left two folks injured. NHTSA stated the recalled software program may “incorrectly predict” an oncoming automobile’s path. Cruise stated it had decided this uncommon state of affairs wouldn’t recur after the replace.

GM and Cruise in February disclosed they petitioned NHTSA for permission to deploy some self-driving automobiles with out steering wheels, mirrors, flip alerts or windshield wipers. That petition remains to be pending.