GM delays self-driving vehicle production, redirects focus to new EV
On Tuesday, General Motors revealed that its Cruise self-driving division will now prioritize the development of a next-generation Chevrolet Bolt. As a result, the introduction of its steering wheel-less vehicle, the Origin, will be indefinitely delayed. This change in strategy is intended to reduce regulatory risks, given that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has yet to respond to GM's 2022 request to launch the Origin.
TroibNews 
On Tuesday, General Motors (GM) disclosed that its autonomous division, Cruise, will now focus on advancing a new version of the Chevrolet for the next generation Bolt, putting off introducing unharnessed Cruise robotaxis indefinitely.
The company had sought the approval of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2022 to deploy as many as 2,500 Origin vehicles annually. However, facing uncertainties with regulatory approvals, GM is pivoting Cruise's initiative towards the Bolt EV, which doesn't face the same regulatory barriers.
GM CEO Mary Barra showed support for the Origin project though she acknowledged the need for an immediate strategic pivot to address regulatory issues more effectively. "I do think in the future there's going to be opportunity for Origin – and so that remains open to us at the what right time," stated Barra.
Experts in the industry anticipate significant hurdles in the development of fully self-driving cars, noting that both regulatory challenges and engineering complexities could span many years.
Also making headlines on Tuesday was Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk, who discussed the enhancements in Tesla's Full Self Driving (FSD) technology. Musk recognized his earlier forecasts as too ambitious while still optimistic about achieving total autonomy next year. Tesla has also postponed its Robotaxi unveil to October following this update.
Alphabet’s CFO, Ruth Porat, announced an ambitious $5 billion investment plan over the coming years for its autonomous vehicle division, Waymo. Waymo has initiated trials of a new robotaxi model in San Francisco, developed by Zeekr, a brand under the Chinese automaker Geely.
Previously in November, GM halted the production of the Cruise Origin at its Detroit facility temporarily, leading to a financial impact of $583 million. Barra reiterated that the shift to utilizing the Bolt’s platform was primarily to sidestep regulatory stumbling blocks, whereas Musk implied that technical difficulties were likely the critical factor for the delay of the Origin.
(With input from Reuters)
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
The company had sought the approval of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2022 to deploy as many as 2,500 Origin vehicles annually. However, facing uncertainties with regulatory approvals, GM is pivoting Cruise's initiative towards the Bolt EV, which doesn't face the same regulatory barriers.
GM CEO Mary Barra showed support for the Origin project though she acknowledged the need for an immediate strategic pivot to address regulatory issues more effectively. "I do think in the future there's going to be opportunity for Origin – and so that remains open to us at the what right time," stated Barra.
Experts in the industry anticipate significant hurdles in the development of fully self-driving cars, noting that both regulatory challenges and engineering complexities could span many years.
Also making headlines on Tuesday was Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk, who discussed the enhancements in Tesla's Full Self Driving (FSD) technology. Musk recognized his earlier forecasts as too ambitious while still optimistic about achieving total autonomy next year. Tesla has also postponed its Robotaxi unveil to October following this update.
Alphabet’s CFO, Ruth Porat, announced an ambitious $5 billion investment plan over the coming years for its autonomous vehicle division, Waymo. Waymo has initiated trials of a new robotaxi model in San Francisco, developed by Zeekr, a brand under the Chinese automaker Geely.
Previously in November, GM halted the production of the Cruise Origin at its Detroit facility temporarily, leading to a financial impact of $583 million. Barra reiterated that the shift to utilizing the Bolt’s platform was primarily to sidestep regulatory stumbling blocks, whereas Musk implied that technical difficulties were likely the critical factor for the delay of the Origin.
(With input from Reuters)
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
