U.S. opens safety probe into General Motors’ Cruise vehicles

U.S. auto safety regulators said Friday they have started an official safety investigation into the autonomous driving system in vehicles produced by General Motors’ robotaxi unit Cruise LLC.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it got notices of incidents in which vehicles operated by Cruise “may engage in inappropriately hard braking or become immobilized.”

The agency said while both concerns “appear to be distinct, they each result in the Cruise vehicles becoming unexpected roadway obstacles.”

The safety agency’s initial evaluation covers 242 Cruise autonomous vehicles.