General Motors' self-driving car company Cruise has reportedly agreed to pay a settlement of between $8 million and $12 million to a woman who was hospitalized after being dragged along a sidewalk by a driverless taxi in San Francisco last year.
The woman, a pedestrian, was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle at 5th and Market streets and thrown into the path of Cruise's self-driving car, which pinned her underneath, according to Cruise and authorities. The car dragged her about 20 feet as she tried to get off the road before stopping.
She suffered “multiple traumatic injuries” and was treated at the scene before being hospitalized.
It is unclear when the deal was reached or the exact amount, sources familiar with the situation told Fortune and Bloomberg. The condition of the woman, whose name was not released by authorities, is unknown, but a representative from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital told Fortune that she had been discharged.
Cruise initially said his self-driving vehicle “braked aggressively to minimize the impact,” but later said the vehicle's software made a mistake in recording where it hit the woman. The car attempted to stop but continued driving at 7 mph for 20 feet with the woman still under the vehicle.
“The hearts of all Cruise employees remain with the pedestrian and we hope she continues to recover,” Cruise said in a statement.
Cruise stopped its driverless operations after the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended its self-driving taxi license. The company was also accused of lying to investigators and concealing images of the car accident.
Cruise said this week that it would begin testing robotaxis in Arizona with a “safety driver” behind the wheel in case a human needs to take control of the vehicle, according to a company news release.
“Safety is the principle that defines everything we do and continues to guide our progress toward the resumption of driverless operations,” according to the statement.
