San Francisco, California – General Motors’ (GM.N) Cruise co-founder and chief product officer Daniel Kan has stepped down from his position, the company confirmed on Monday, following the resignation of Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt. The news comes at a tumultuous time for the self-driving taxi maker, as it undergoes a safety review of its U.S. fleet.
Kan announced his resignation in a Slack message, offering no further details. In the message to Cruise employees, he acknowledged the recent challenges, but expressed confidence in the company’s ability to overcome them. Cruise had been providing 10,000 rides per week, a figure Kan believed the company would soon achieve again.
Vogt’s resignation occurred amid increased scrutiny from GM and the Cruise board, prompted by an October accident in which one of Cruise’s self-driving taxis was involved in an incident with a pedestrian. Following the incident, Cruise suspended all U.S. vehicle testing to conduct a safety review.
In response to the ongoing troubles, GM made changes to Cruise’s leadership, appointing a new chief administrative officer and bringing in a third-party safety officer, as well as naming co-presidents. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg assured that the federal government will use its regulatory powers to ensure the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles.
The departures at Cruise mark a setback for an industry reliant on public trust and regulatory cooperation as it seeks to expand to more cities and offer fully autonomous taxi rides. Despite the challenges, Cruise remains committed to addressing safety concerns and regaining public confidence.
General Motors’ Cruise co-founder and chief product officer Daniel Kan has resigned, following the departure of Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt. Cruise is currently undergoing a safety review of its U.S. fleet in the wake of an incident involving one of its self-driving taxis and a pedestrian. The company is working to restore public trust and ensure the safe deployment of autonomous vehicles as it continues to expand its services.
