General Motors achieved a milestone today. The automaker has become the first to build autonomous vehicles utilizing a mass production process.
In total, the Orion Township assembly plant built 130 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVs equipped with GM’s next-generation autonomous vehicle technology. Lidar, cameras and sensors are all onboard from the production line.
“This production milestone brings us one step closer to making our vision of personal mobility a reality,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “Expansion of our real-world test fleet will help ensure that our self-driving vehicles meet the same strict standards for safety and quality that we build into all of our vehicles.”
The 130 Bolt EV will join GM’s current fleet of 50 autonomous Bolt EVs testing in California, Arizona and Michigan.
GM has grand plans for the self-driving car revolution. It plans to roll out driverless cars sooner rather than later and has invested in ride-sharing network Lyft to create a fleet of autonomous vehicles for consumers. GM’s Maven will also likely benefit from autonomous vehicles at some point as well.
The automaker has treated its recent acquisition to develop autonomous cars, Cruise Automation, like a start-up and has let the subsidiary act on its own accord.
GM doesn’t have a set timeline, but its self-driving cars will likely be here quicker than many expect.
Comments
The LIDAR units are visible at the top and look ungainly. GM should had designed a more integrated roof unit so the Bolt EV would be “plain” when driving on public roads. Ford has built 50 autonomous Fusions integrating the LIDAR into the “A” pillar like a second set of external mirrors and look great.
These may look hideous, but I bet they are more modular, and can be fixed onto any Chevy, not just the Bolt EV. Probably still “Beta”.
Lovely, I can just see someone sitting with a laptop in an apartment on the other side of the world taking control of one of these things and turning it into a missile. GM can’t get an ignition switch right – can we expect them to get software correct first, second or third time ?????????????
It’s a semi autonomous division of GM that they purchased outright. I think there might be a few more software experts in there, than a layman’s GM division….
In order for it become a missile, it would need some manner of ordinance in it; something that no hacker in the history of hacking has managed to manifest out of thin air.
This is testing for autonomous fleet use. These devices are not destined for the consumer version Bolt, at least not in the near future.
I can’t wait to take one of these cars for a ride around the block! I love where this says we are going as a driving public!
Look I love driving and while not being able to do that as much anymore will be sad at times. It will make me appreciate the old performance vehicles I have and give me a reason to keep them.
The one thing that I think people forget is these cars are not driverless only! You can take control of the wheel when ever you want to! So at the end of the day these people who complain that they will lose the pleasure of driving are wrong in that you can just take control if you want!
Step One — Wait for Bolt to appear on network
Step Two — hack network
Step Three — ‘drive’ car to my home
Step Four — remove from network and change identifying protocols
Step Five — paint my favorite color