In a significant shakeup, Daniel Kan, the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Cruise, the autonomous car company backed by General Motors, has announced his resignation. This follows closely on the heels of the departure of Cruise’s CEO and fellow co-founder, Kyle Vogt. The company has been grappling with a series of safety incidents involving its driverless cars on the streets of San Francisco, leading to regulatory actions.
One notable incident involved a Cruise car in autonomous mode coming to a halt on top of a woman recently hit by a human-driven vehicle. In response, California regulators revoked Cruise’s operating permit, prompting General Motors to suspend driverless testing nationwide, affecting operations in Texas, Arizona, and Florida.
Adding to the challenges, Vogt revealed the halt in production of Cruise’s fully autonomous vehicle, the Origin, designed for future robotaxi services. With the departure of Chief Product Officer Daniel Kan, questions arose about the leadership vacuum within the company.
While Vogt did not disclose the reason for his exit, he expressed optimism about Cruise’s future, emphasizing the team’s resilience and commitment to a long-term vision. As Cruise grapples with this leadership crisis, industry observers ponder the potential impact on the company’s efforts to rebuild public trust. Although no successors for the CEO and Chief Product Officer roles have been announced, recent reports hint at changes at the board level and the appointment of Mo Elshenawy as the new president.
Cruise’s commitment to rebuilding public trust was evident in November when the company acknowledged the need for internal introspection. The challenges ahead raise critical questions about Cruise’s ability to navigate the autonomous vehicle landscape amid growing concerns about safety and regulatory scrutiny.
