General Motors is plotting a return to the autonomous vehicle race, but this time through personally-owned cars rather than a dedicated robotaxi division. The company spent $10 billion on its Cruise business before shuttering it in 2024.
Sterling Anderson, GM's chief product officer and former head of Tesla's Autopilot program, told Business Insider the strategy involves breaking driving into segments. The first step: rolling out eyes-off highway driving in 2028, starting with the Cadillac Escalade IQ.
Anderson said GM will expand autonomous capabilities from highways to arterial roads and eventually urban centers. Over time, he argued, the technology will operate in enough regions to support a viable robotaxi service.
The approach marks a stark departure from Cruise's failed model of deploying purpose-built robotaxis in limited geographies. Critics contend GM faces an uphill battle against Waymo and Tesla, which already have operational ride-hailing networks.
"Ultimately, the two converge," Anderson said of personal autonomy and robotaxis. The executive did not provide a timeline for when GM might launch a commercial ride-hailing service.