Jean MartinCarl Jenkins, the head of hardware at General Motors’ Cruise self-driving unit, announced his resignation after six years. His departure follows a string of exits since the suspension of U.S. operations in October.
Suspension of Operations and Leadership Changes:
The decision to suspend operations occurred after a pedestrian accident in San Francisco involving a self-driving Cruise car. Following this incident, California revoked Cruise’s permit for driverless vehicles, leading to the resignation of CEO Kyle Vogt and co-founder Dan Kan in November.
Jenkins led the team responsible for developing Cruise’s self-driving hardware, including microchips, sensors, and computers, collaborating closely with GM on product development initiatives.
Confirmation and Response from Cruise Leadership:
Mo Elshenawy, Cruise Co-President, confirmed Jenkins’ departure and emphasized the critical role of the autonomous vehicles platforms team in Cruise’s efforts to resume operations. However, neither Jenkins nor Elshenawy provided a reason for the resignation.
Future Directions and Transitional Period:
Despite the unexpected departure, Cruise leadership expressed optimism about defining the company’s future during this transitional period.
Elshenawy highlighted the team’s focus on improving detection systems, computing capabilities, and sensor suites to expedite the return to road operations.
A Cruise spokesperson reaffirmed the company’s commitment to hardware and system development for its self-driving vehicles, emphasizing ongoing efforts in platforms such as Bolt and Origin.
