Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Cruise LLC today revealed the appointment of Steve Kenner, a seasoned leader in automotive safety, as its Chief Safety Officer. Kenner, who comes with extensive experience in the autonomous vehicle (AV) sector and a strong background in automotive safety engineering, will lead Cruise’s safety management systems and operations. He will collaborate closely with the Cruise Board of Directors in this capacity. Kenner will directly report to Craig Glidden, Cruise’s President and Chief Administrative Officer, in his appointed role.
“As we look forward to Cruise’s next chapter, we know we must continually improve our overall safety performance and work to build trust with regulators, other government officials and our communities,” said Glidden. “Steve Kenner brings the perfect blend of experience in AV and automotive safety excellence to help deliver on these important priorities.”
“Safety governance is a critical gating factor as we return to our mission and get Cruise cars back on the road safely,” said Mo Elshenawy, President and Chief Technology Officer at Cruise. “We know that safety is a mindset every engineer and employee throughout Cruise embraces, and that greater accountability will be developed through Steve’s expert leadership.”
Kenner’s career kicked off as an engineer at General Motors, and he has amassed nearly four decades of engineering and safety experience within the automotive sector, holding significant roles at major U.S. car manufacturers, including the position of Global Director of Automotive Safety at Ford. His most recent role was as VP of Safety at the self-driving truck company Kodiak, where he was instrumental in shaping the company’s safety approach and its approach to driverless operations. Kenner’s vast knowledge spans autonomous vehicle safety standards, safety culture, and regulatory adherence, gained through senior roles at Kodiak, Apple, Uber, Locomation, and Aurora. He earned an MBA from Stanford University and holds a B.S.holding a degree in mechanical engineering from Kettering University, formerly known as General Motors Institute.
Kenner emphasized the importance of collaboration across all teams within a company to prioritize the safety of passengers and other road users, including working with regulators to gain their trust. He highlighted, “Our objective aligns with that of regulators: enhancing the safety of our roads and boosting public confidence in the AV sector.” Kenner added, “Having devoted my career to working on safety-critical technologies, I am a firm believer in the safety capabilities of autonomous vehicles and am committed to bringing that potential to fruition in a safe and responsible manner.”
“On a personal note, I started my career as an engineer at GM, so it’s a full circle moment returning to work for a company so closely aligned with GM and its plans for the future.”
Monday, February 12, 2024
