Cruise has appointed its first “Chief Safety Officer” as part of the company’s efforts to rehabilitate itself following a highly publicized incident from last year. The incident left a pedestrian stuck under, and then dragged by, one of its robotaxis, which caused significant controversy.
Steve Kenner, an industry veteran with top safety roles at various autonomous vehicle companies, has been appointed to the newly created role. Kenner will report directly to Cruise president and Chief Administrative Officer, Craig Glidden. He is tasked with overseeing Cruise’s safety management systems and operations and will work in direct partnership with the Cruise Board of Directors, as stated in the company’s announcement.
Louise Zhang, a VP of safety and systems at Cruise, will continue in her position as one of the highest-ranking safety-related employees.
Kenner’s appointment follows the recent release of a comprehensive 195-page report by law firm Quinn Emanuel that examined the October crash, where a Cruise robotaxi struck and dragged a pedestrian who was initially hit by a human-driven car. The report concluded that Cruise’s leadership had a “narrow-minded” focus on media responses to the crash and omitted important facts when discussing the event with the public and with regulators.
The crash, along with Cruise’s management of the situation, has now triggered multiple government investigations. The Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, California Department of Motor Vehicles, California Public Utilities Commission, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are all scrutinizing the company’s actions.
Kenner is assuming his role at a time when the entire robotaxi fleet is suspended. Cruise recently downsized its workforce by 24% and saw the exit of several high-level employees. Cruise co-founders Kyle Vogt and Dan Kan resigned last year.
General Motors, the parent company of Cruise, has announced a reduction of its investment in the autonomous vehicle company by $1 billion this year. The automaker appointed Glidden as Chief Administrative Officer in November as part of its efforts to address the mishandling of the October crash.
