GM Appoints Marc Whitten as CEO of Cruise Following Layoffs and Leadership Shakeup

General Motors' autonomous driving unit Cruise has appointed Marc Whitten, a former Amazon executive and founding engineer of Microsoft's Xbox, as its new CEO effective July 16. This leadership change comes after the company halted its driverless fleet operations due to a serious accident in October 2023, where a pedestrian was dragged 20 feet by one of its robotaxis. The incident led to significant regulatory scrutiny, suspension of operations in California, and a major internal shakeup, including the resignation of former CEO Kyle Vogt and layoffs affecting a quarter of the workforce. Whitten, who has extensive experience in technology and product development, aims to restore trust with regulators and the public, and oversee the resumption of driverless car services. Mo Elshenawy will continue as President and CTO, while Craig Glidden will serve as President and CAO. Additionally, Cruise has hired Nick Mulholland as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer.