Kyle Vogt, founder and CEO of Cruise, General Motors’ autonomous driving unit, has resigned. The departure follows a series of incidents that led Cruise to suspend all self-driving operations across the US, including a high-profile accident where one of its vehicles drove over a pedestrian in October.
Vogt announced his resignation in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, expressing gratitude for the last decade and the support received while leading Cruise over the last 10 years, highlighting Cruise’s achievements, including providing over 250,000 driverless rides across multiple cities.
The last 10 years have been amazing, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped Cruise along the way. The startup I launched in my garage has given over 250,000 driverless rides across several cities, with each ride inspiring people with a small taste of the future. (2/5)
— Kyle Vogt (@kvogt) November 20, 2023
Cruise’s board accepted Vogt’s resignation without specifying the exact reasons for his departure. However, Cruise acknowledged the need to strengthen public trust and engage third-party experts during the operational pause.
Mo Elshenawy, currently the executive vice president of engineering, has been appointed as the new president and chief technology officer (CTO) of Cruise. Additionally, Craig Glidden, Cruise board member and GM’s EVP of legal and policy, will continue as president and chief administrative officer. (via Bloomberg)
The leadership reshuffle comes amid a broader safety review of Cruise’s operations, including a suspension of its license in California and an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The incidents have dealt a blow to Cruise’s ambitious plans for autonomous taxi rides and expansion to multiple cities.
