GM’s self-driving unit Cruise to cut 8% of staff

Cruise, General Motors‘ majority owned self-driving vehicle unit, said Thursday in an email to staff that it will be cutting about 8% of its workforce amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The cuts are expected to primarily come from outside the company’s engineering operations, including recruiting and human resources, according to a person familiar with the plans.

The company is rebalancing its operations and not directly related to the Covid-19 crisis, according to the person, who agreed to speak anonymously because the plans aren’t public.

“In this time of great change, we’re fortunate to have a crystal clear mission and billions in the bank. The actions we took today reflect us doubling down on our engineering work and engineering talent,” Cruise spokesman Ray Wert said in an emailed statement.

The company has about 1,800 employees, primarily based in San Francisco.