At its GM Forward event in New York, General Motors outlined a vision of the car as a personal assistant, tool, and companion. The automaker says it wants driving time to be more productive, relaxing, and engaging, and it introduced OnStar AI, an in-car assistant debuting in 2027 Cadillac Lyriqs. The system will start with simple voice commands like adjusting air conditioning, but GM says it could eventually handle tasks such as coordinating school pickups based on which spouse's car is closer.
GM also plans to use AI to cut new-vehicle development from four to five years to about half that time, matching Chinese carmakers' speed. The company will expand its hands-off Super Cruise highway technology to more popular models and gradually add "eyes-off" driving on more road types, with the eventual goal of letting cars run errands like picking up groceries or dropping off children. GM's product chief argued that Tesla's approach, which requires drivers to stay alert while using its Full Self-Driving feature, offers the illusion of autonomy without its benefits.
The company acknowledges that cheap autonomous trips could lead to more cars on the road and greater sprawl. GM's product chief says those societal and infrastructure questions merit attention now, though the shift is not imminent.