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Delhi: General Motors' self-driving car unit, Cruise, admitted Thursday to submitting a false report to influence a federal investigation and a $500,000 criminal fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement, the Justice Department said. Will pay the fine. The department said Cruise failed to disclose key details of a crash in October 2023 to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in which one of its robotaxis in San Francisco struck a pedestrian who was struck by another vehicle. He was hit and dragged for 20 feet (6.1 m).

“Companies with self-driving cars that want to share our streets and crosswalks must be completely truthful in their reports to their regulators,” said Martha Borsch, chief of the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Francisco.

Under the three-year agreement, Cruise must cooperate with government investigations, implement a security compliance program and provide annual reports to the U.S. Attorney's Office detailing any alleged crimes if Cruise fails to comply over the next three years. Can proceed with prosecution.

“Cruise will comply with the requirements set forth in the agreement as we continue to move forward under new leadership and with a firm commitment to transparency with our regulators,” Cruise Chairman Craig Glidden said in a statement. In response to the accident and subsequent investigation, Cruise's CEO and co-founder both resigned, the company cut its workforce by a quarter and laid off nine executives, including its chief operating officer and chief legal and policy officer. Removed. The Cruise robotaxi stopped after hitting the pedestrian, but then attempted to move to the side of the road with the woman under it, seriously injuring the woman. Cruise's report to NHTSA did not reference dragging. GM later settled with the woman for at least $8 million, a person confirmed to Reuters.