Photo: GM
Nearly absent from the automotive scene over the past few years, American auto group General Motors announced on Thursday a move that, if successful, would put in back in front of the pack: the market launch of a fully self-driving electric vehicle.
To be called Cruise AV, the model will enter production soon at the Orion Township plant, in time for the market launch in 2019. What’s interesting is that while other producers still struggle with making their autonomous vehicles Level 3, 4 at the most, GM targets the Holy Graal of AV-building.
Having no steering wheel, no pedals and no manual controls, the car is a Level 5, meaning it doesn’t need a driver either. Instead it uses one of the most intriguate sets of cameras and sensors we’ve ever seen to guide itself along the way. Called roof-modules, they are already being produced at the Brownstown plant.
It not yet clear what market segment GM targets with the Cruise AV – perhaps car sharing, or delivery. The timing may be however a bit off.
Most carmakers are involved to some extent or another in developing self-driving cars, but all are no way near making them production-ready.
Aside from that, the public is not yet ready to get into a car that drives itself. A study by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) says that by the year 2030, Level 4 and 5 systems will constitute only 4 percent of new vehicles sold on the global market.
Apparently oblivious to findings such as that, GM plans to invest more than $100 million to upgrade both facilities were the Cruise would be manufactured. For reasons known only to them, GM managers call next year’s Cruise the fourth-generation, after building only 200 units since research began in 2017.
“We’re continuing to make great progress on our plans to commercialize in 2019,” said GM president Dan Ammann.
“Our Orion and Brownstown teams have proven experience in building high-quality self-driving test vehicles and battery packs, so they are well-prepared to produce the Cruise AV.”
Having no steering wheel, no pedals and no manual controls, the car is a Level 5, meaning it doesn’t need a driver either. Instead it uses one of the most intriguate sets of cameras and sensors we’ve ever seen to guide itself along the way. Called roof-modules, they are already being produced at the Brownstown plant.
It not yet clear what market segment GM targets with the Cruise AV – perhaps car sharing, or delivery. The timing may be however a bit off.
Most carmakers are involved to some extent or another in developing self-driving cars, but all are no way near making them production-ready.
Aside from that, the public is not yet ready to get into a car that drives itself. A study by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) says that by the year 2030, Level 4 and 5 systems will constitute only 4 percent of new vehicles sold on the global market.
Apparently oblivious to findings such as that, GM plans to invest more than $100 million to upgrade both facilities were the Cruise would be manufactured. For reasons known only to them, GM managers call next year’s Cruise the fourth-generation, after building only 200 units since research began in 2017.
“We’re continuing to make great progress on our plans to commercialize in 2019,” said GM president Dan Ammann.
“Our Orion and Brownstown teams have proven experience in building high-quality self-driving test vehicles and battery packs, so they are well-prepared to produce the Cruise AV.”
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