San Francisco, CA
GM is facing a Justice Department investigation into the gruesome Cruise robotaxi collision that critically injured a pedestrian in San Francisco
General Motors is facing a U.S. Justice Department investigation into a gruesome collision that critically injured a pedestrian and derailed its self-driving car ambitions.
The Justice Department inquiry disclosed in a report Thursday is the latest twist in a debacle that began in October after a robotaxi operated by GM’s Cruise subsidiary dragged a pedestrian about 20 feet (6 meters) after the person was struck in San Francisco by another vehicle driven by a human.
The incident resulted in Cruise’s license to operate its driverless fleet in California being suspended by regulators and triggered a purge of its leadership — in addition to layoffs that jettisoned about a quarter of its workforce — as GM curtailed its once-lofty ambitions in self-driving technology. Cruise’s omission of key details about what happened in the Oct. 2 incident also led to allegations of a coverup that could result in a fine of $1.5 million. Cruise has offered to pay $75,000 instead.
GM didn’t release any details about the nature of the Justice Department’s investigation, or of another one by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A company spokesman would only say GM is cooperating with authorities.
The revelations about the latest troubles facing Detroit-based GM and San Francisco-based Cruise came in a report reviewing how things were handled after the pedestrian was hurt.
The report prepared by the law firm of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan rebuked Cruise’s management that has since been dumped for “poor leadership, mistakes in judgment, lack of coordination, an ‘us versus them’ mentality with regulators.” But the report also asserted that Cruise initially thought it had shown California regulators a video that included segments showing a robotaxi named “Panini” dragging the pedestrian, only to discover later that scene hadn’t been seen because of internet streaming issues.
The report blamed Cruise for having a “myopic focus” on protecting its reputation instead of setting the record straight after management realized regulators hadn’t seen the video of the incident in its entirety.
“Cruise must take decisive steps to address these issues in order to restore trust and credibility,” according to the report’s summary findings.
GM has already installed a new management team at Cruise and walked back its goals for a driverless division that was supposed to transform the transportation industry by operating robotic ride-hailing services across the U.S. Even as skeptics raised doubts about whether autonomous driving technology had become reliable enough to realize that vision, GM was projecting Cruise would generate $1 billion in revenue by 2025 — 10 times the amount it had been bringing in during a ramp-up phase that resulted in billions of dollars in losses.
Cruise had cleared a significant hurdle last August when California regulators approved its request to begin operating its robotaxi service throughout San Francisco at all hours — over the strenuous objections of city officials — only to have it all unravel in early October.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Celebrates One Year of Sunset Dunes – Streetsblog San Francisco
A “PloverFest” party was held Sunday to celebrate the first anniversary of Sunset Dunes, the two-mile linear park along San Francisco’s coastline. When Sunset Dunes opened, it made history as California’s largest pedestrianization project, measuring 50 acres and stretching from Sloat Boulevard to Lincoln Way.
Since then, it’s become a vibrant gathering place where people of all ages come to play, relax, bike, skate, walk, run, and connect by the coast.
“Thousands of people came out to Sunset Dunes for PloverFest to celebrate and listen to music with neighbors and friends,” said Lucas Lux with Friends of Sunset Dunes. “This energy is yet another sign of how beloved the park has become,”
More from S.F. Rec and Park:
Over the past 12 months, approximately 300 volunteers planted more than 2,200 dune grasses, strengthening the shoreline against sea level rise. Birding excursions, walking tours and dog stewardship education helped community members connect with nature. Birdwatchers documented 87 species, including nesting white-crowned sparrows.
Sunset Dunes hosted 20 permitted events in its first year, drawing large crowds, including nearly 13,000 participants at the Skechers Hot Chocolate Run, 9,500 runners at the San Francisco Half Marathon, and 3,000 Halloween revelers at the Great Hauntway event.
At the same time, the park is used regularly for everyday recreation and gathering. Survey data indicates one in four visitors lives in the Sunset.
Rec and Park also conducted a broad community outreach process in the park’s first year, hosting open houses and stakeholder meetings and gathering input from more than 3,000 people. That work will continue in the second year, with a focus on delivering community-requested improvements, adding new amenities, and engaging the public in shaping the park’s future.
Of course, there’s still a shrinking contingent of obstructionists who will never accept the outcome of 2024’s Prop. K, which converted this stretch of Great Highway into a park. Yes, it cost Supervisor Joel Engardio his job. And, yes, the “controversy” continues. But given the park’s success, the remaining opposition, loud as it may be, is in fact petering out.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating Sunset Dunes’s success for many more years to come,” said Lux.
Be sure to check out additional coverage of the anniversary in the SF Chron.
San Francisco, CA
Power outage in San Francisco’s Marina, Presidio neighborhoods leaves thousands in the dark
Thousands were left without power late Sunday night in San Francisco’s Marina and Presidio neighborhoods, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric website.
PG&E said more than 5,400 customers lost power around 9:15 p.m. The outage spanned from the Presidio to the Great Meadow Park area in the Marina District, impacting homes and businesses north of Lombard Street.
The utility company’s website says its team is evaluating the electrical system and power is estimated to be restored around 3 a.m. Monday.
By about 11:30 p.m., all but about 600 customers had their power restored.
It’s unknown what caused the outage.
San Francisco, CA
Drizzle Clings To San Francisco, Then Sunshine Cranks Up The Heat
San Francisco rolled in today, under a gray blanket of low clouds, morning temperatures hovering near 55°F and pockets of patchy drizzle dampening parts of the city. Forecasters expect that light mist to drift on and off through the day and into early Monday, keeping highs mainly in the low to mid 60s with a steady onshore breeze keeping things feeling cooler near the water.
Afternoon Winds Pick Up
By afternoon, winds are set to swing around to the west and west-southwest and turn noticeably breezier, generally in the 6 to 12 mph range, with occasional stronger gusts funneling through the usual gaps and passes. That onshore push will leave the waterfront cooler and cloudier, while neighborhoods just a few miles inland should manage a modest warmup. The National Weather Service expects these breezy conditions to hang around into the middle of next week as the pattern dries out.
Drizzle Through Monday, Then A Warmup
A couple of weak impulses will keep light rain and drizzle in the mix tomorrow, though totals are expected to be minimal, and many parts of the city will stay either dry or just briefly damp. The marine layer is projected to thin out Tuesday, April 28, into Wednesday, April 29, which should let inland parts of the Bay Area climb into the upper 60s and low 70s.
Commute And Outdoor Plans
For tomorrow morning’s commute, expect slick patches on sidewalks and bike lanes where drizzle lingers, though driving impacts should remain minor. It is still smart to leave a little extra room for braking if the pavement is damp. Planning to be outside tomorrow. Toss a light rain jacket in your bag, especially if you are headed to the immediate coast or moving through the Golden Gate corridor, where the wettest pockets are most likely. There are no watches or warnings in effect for the city at this time.
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