General Motors CEO Mary Barra addressed the automaker’s lack of standard active safety technology across its vehicle portfolio during its Q2 2019 earnings call this week, saying the automaker is committed to adding more standard safety equipment to its vehicles in the future.
Barra was questioned on the matter by analyst Chris McNally of Evercore during the call, with the CEO saying cost is the main reason why standard active safety tech has not featured across its portfolio more prominently.
“It‘s been a little slow on the rollout of this technology… it‘s not that it‘s not available, but essentially that the customer is still paying for it vs. it being standard. Could you just talk about the rollout of some of the low-end, not Super Cruise… is there a chance that it becomes standard offering on products in the way Toyota and some of the Japanese have rolled it out?” the analyst asked.
“We’re committed to having it across the entire portfolio and it’s a segment-by-segment question that we look at to see what makes sense, because we also want to… you know, you have so much technology on a vehicle that if a customer can’t afford it, and they don’t get the opportunity to achieve that, so we’re trying to be very customer-focused in that way, but we clearly have the technology,” Barra responded.
“We have also done work to ensure that if it’s not standard, it’s available in a first package as opposed to a last package, being receptive to really giving the customer choice,” Barra added. “So we’re going to continue to do that, develop the technology, have it available across the portfolio so that it will be standard and then we will really work on being you know, not necessarily Super Cruise, but you know the game changing feature of Super Cruise also is very important that we’re committed to and growing the feature and functionality of it.”
The American automaker particularly lags behind brands like Toyota, Honda and Hyundai/Kia when it comes to active safety, which offer comprehensive active safety packages as standard equipment on entry-level models. For example, the 2019 Honda Civic comes standard with Honda Sensing across all trim levels, which includes a collision mitigation braking ,adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and road departure mitigation. GM has such safety tech on offer in its vehicles, however it is usually optional equipment.
GM may face increased pressure to offer more active safety equipment as standard going forward, with more consumers becoming familiar with the technology and making it a priority when shopping for a new vehicle. Safety groups like NHTSA and the IIHS also encourage automakers to use more active safety technology by offering higher vehicle safety ratings for cars that feature it.
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Comments
PLEASE keep costs down. All the “extra” safety garbage, gadgets, and mandated regs across Europe and the US just make new vehicles tougher for average people to afford. I’m not saying to make unsafe vehicles, but when is enough, enough? How about people start paying attention when they drive?
“How about people start paying attention when they drive?” lol…For 2017 the NHTSA reports there were 10,874, drunk driving related fatalities (no mention of the injured and non-injured), how about people stay sober when they drive? Point being, if active safety features prevent death or reduce injury for my family or I, I’m all for it…
You’re preaching to the choir here, I don’t even drink. I think drunk driving is one of the biggest D-bag things you can do.
It’s not just drunk driving. It’s phone calling non hands free and texting while driving and just not paying attention. GM needs to get on the ball with safety stuff. Toyota also offers Free all the safe options. I would like to buy a GM but, you need to order near top of the line models and then add two packages. $$$. That’s just bullshit. They don’t even advertise like Kia, Toyota or Nissan. They make plenty of $$$ on pickups. Why are they giving up on cars. They should be stepping up to the plate.
We pay for all of the safety features on all cars regardless of name plate. Yes drunk/drugs/cell phone/yelling at kids and many other distractions causes wrecks. Don’t get caught up on this free bs, nothing is free.
I believe in safe cars/trucks. All these vehicles on the road today are safer than they have ever been. Maintaining a car/truck and checking for defaults are a good start. Fatigue is another cause for concern, rest for an hour or two before you start out on your trip on long weekends. Be prepared for any emergency. Thanks
My Cruze Premier Hatch has all of the available safety equipment, but aside from Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Parking Assist and Blind Spot Detection, the rest is just annoying (Lane Keeping, Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Braking, etc.). Not that GM shouldn’t be offering it the same way the competition has been.
I am so sick and tired of GM Beancounters. Hey Barra, why can other Automakers pay for them but you cannot?
These features need to be Standard like most other Automakers make them.
What a completely clueless answer and attitude for a Modern Day Automaker.
I’d tick the “delete” box for $2.5k saving.
Same here.
One of the primary reasons why I bought a Silverado 1500 LD over the new model. I couldn’t get many options without adding al the safety crap (and push-button start. Something else I’m not a fan of). I didn’t want to pay for it, and I always turn it off when I drive a vehicle with it. The only feature I like are the parking sensors. Aside from that, I would tick the “delete” box as well.
I actually like that Idea. Imagine if automakers added a bunch of stuff standard and you could delete what you do not use for a small cost savings. For example….the tri-zone CC in the Suburban. Or the Keyless start. Or the massive rims of higher trim levels.
It would be nice for GM to allow customers to order the options they want. Packages are only forcing us to buy options we don’t want to get something we do.
Years ago we could go down the list of options and order only what we wanted.
Since everything is on computers it shouldn’t be difficult to build the vehicle as the customer ordered.
We live in a sad micro managed world where literally every penny is taken into consideration and with GM it shows big time. And because the average consumer is getting dumber and dumber and less and less skilled we are forced to have this stuff. Saving us from ourselves. Technology is such a double edged sword. It helps us in many ways but it comes with such a price in that we are losing our skills and brain power with once simple everyday things like driving. My parents and grandparents were so much better drivers than any of my younger friends it isn’t even funny.
The best active safety tech is KEEPING YOUR FLIPPIN’ EYES PEERED OUT THE BLASTED WINDSHIELD AND PERIODICALLY CHECKING SIDEVIEW AND REARVIEW MIRRORS. Standard safety tech options on cars were never a factor in my car purchasing decisions and I don’t care for them as I see them as a nuisance. I would only tolerate blind spot monitoring and park assist. The rest are for the birds
I understand the need to keep cost down.My question is if the competition can have those things and keep cost down why can’t GM? If the reason buyers purchase other vehicles over yours is because you don’t have or don’t offer the equipment they do then you are not helping your cause by not having or offering this equipment.
Legacy costs? I haven’t looked recently, but the “foreign” automakers didn’t have anywhere near the legacy costs that GM did.
General Motors lack Of Standard Active Safety technology on Its vehicles is another blunder by General Motors CEO Mary Barra and is just another mounting list as to why she should be retired.
Funny that a $30k Madza has more safety tech than a $65k luxury pickup truck
Exactly
That’s not really true. The question is whether or not it’s standard.
Not having standard safety equipment on basic models, is why I am looking to buy an Accord, instead of a Malibu.
Hate to say it but you are in the majority not the minority. GM Beancounters destroying the Company one Model at at time. It will be a slow death.
There is a reason as to why Mazda, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, and VW all offer at least TWO Sedans in todays Market and can actually sell them. GM, Ford, and FCA will regret being so shortsighted.
So Mark, you’re telling me that you’re buying a sedan without a single option on it?? And that due to the fact that you have to actually select a box….one box on the Malibu, you are not buying it?
Sounds fishy to me.
every time you she Mary she has that phony smile while she laying off workers and closing plants not giving customers what they want it is really time she goes
That “first package” comment is BS. Look at the Malibu and Equinox. You have to go all the way up to the Premier models to get many of the safety features standard on a Camry or RAV4. It is a ridiculous thing.
GM has no incentive to make those active safety features standard on cars that they’re going to cancel it in upcoming years such as the Cruze, Impala and Malibu. They have been and always will continually lag behind the competition especially in passenger cars since they are no threat to Japanese.
So they place Profit over Customer Safety. Even worse if that is the case.
Great way for a Company to be operated.
What could Possibly go wrong with that Strategy?
The reason Mary was put in charge in the first place was to be the face of the new “caring” GM that let hundreds of customers be killed rather than replace a $.25 spring in an ignition switch. Profits over safety has always been the priority of GM. Those profits fund Mary’s $22,000,000 compensation package each year.
GM news just keeps getting worse by the Day. It is all blurring together now.
How does a Company which had to Spend Billions trying to Defend themselves not be one of the First Car Companies to Go All In on Standard Safety Features like literally almost every other Maker has. It is insane and to admit in Public that it is basically a Financial decision too? It is crazy.
You guys just need to give up. All you do is complain about Mary does as if it’s her job to make product and content decisions. Her main job is PR, ensuring the company is profitable and make sure it’s moving in the right direction. You might not know what her legacy is at GM for years after she’s moved on.
I agree about what her job is, but she is in Charge and she is the one giving these answers. DO THE RIGHT THING. Hire proper individuals then that will make sure it gets done. This is 100% on her. She is the CEO period.