Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt and co-founder Daniel Kan resigned a few weeks ago, and now the company has also dismissed nine key executives. GM’s robotaxi unit sent an internal memo to staff members announcing the departure of these executives as regulators investigate an incident involving a pedestrian being dragged by a Cruise vehicle after being struck by another car. The company is accused of withholding a video showing the victim underneath its vehicle. The memo stated that new leadership is necessary to rebuild trust and operate with the highest standards of safety, integrity, and accountability.
One of the executives who was dismissed was Gil West, the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Additionally, Jeff Bleich and David Estrada, who held positions as Chief Legal and Policy Officer and Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, were among the nine executives who were let go. Cruise has been facing major upheaval, with the California DMV suspending the company’s driverless permit in October following the incident. The company also recalled 950 of its robotaxis after reports that they had trouble identifying children, and eventually suspended its manual operations as part of a safety probe by a third-party firm. Vogt had also announced layoffs before his departure from the company, indicating that more personnel may be leaving Cruise before the year ends.