GM Says 'Eyes-Off' Self-Driving Will Reach Pickups and Large SUVs After a 2028 Cadillac Debut, and Leans on Software for Revenue
At its GM Forward event, the automaker also said its OnStar AI Assistant arrives in the 2027 Lyriq. UBS puts GM's digital revenue at $9.6 billion by 2036, up from $3.2 billion this year.
General Motors plans to bring hands-free, eyes-off driving to more of its lineup, Fox Business reports, as it bets on software and AI as a growing source of revenue.
The plan. At its "GM Forward" event in New York, GM said eyes-off driving will debut in the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ and then expand to pickup trucks, crossovers and large SUVs. The system lets drivers look away from the road under certain conditions, starting on highways and later on other roads. "We're changing what it means to drive," CEO Mary Barra said. Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson said it "will land in light-duty pickups" and "will expand off the highways for the rest of your drive."
Further out. Anderson described a "mission mode" in which a car could pick up groceries or drop off laundry with nobody in it. No date was given for that.
The software. GM is building a centralized computing platform for a wide range of vehicles and an OnStar AI Assistant that answers questions about the car and controls some features. It launches in the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq, then spreads. Ed Nightingale, GM's vice president of digital products, told Fox Business customers can see when data is shared and opt in or out, and that "a human being is always there to help you" through OnStar advisors. New buyers get eight years of OnStar Basics. Planned camera features will let drivers access recordings after certain incidents, with end-to-end encryption.
The money. UBS estimated last month that GM's digital revenue could grow from $3.2 billion this year to $9.6 billion by 2036, calling it an "underappreciated and undervalued opportunity."
Note for readers: these are company plans and an analyst estimate, not delivered products. The event took place Oct. 21, and Fox's story ran Oct. 25. The piece does not say how much any of this will cost buyers or when the pickup and SUV versions will arrive.