At its GM Forward event in New York, General Motors outlined how it’s merging AI, robotics, and large-scale software systems to redefine what a car can be. CEO Mary Barra and senior executives showed a future where GM vehicles could serve as intelligent assistants, combining autonomy, energy innovations, and computing power. The company describes this shift as a part of a long-term goal to move from traditional automaking to intelligent mobility, built around learning software and user personalization.

One of GM’s most ambitious announcements at the event was its plan to ship an eyes-off self-driving technology by 2028, starting with the Cadillac Escalade IQ electric SUV. The company’s Super Cruise system has already covered huge swathes of land, about 600,00 miles of North American roads, and logged 700 million miles of hands-free driving without a crash due to the system. GM says that these years of testing, combined with the data from its Cruise division, give it the validation and safety groundwork to deliver autonomy at scale, moving close to fully driverless vehicles.

Another thing that GM annocued was that starting in 2025, their vehicles will feature Google Gemini-powered conversational AI, allowing drivers to speak normally to their cars. Future models will even include GM’s own vehicle AI assistant, designed to learn from user behavior and vehicle data via OnStar connectivity. This AI could expand car features, diagnose issues, suggest nearby destinations, and provide personal recommendations, creating a smarter and more human-like driving experience.

Also in 2028, GM will release a new centralized computing architecture, which will first appear in the Escalade IQ, too. This system will unify propulsion, safety, and information onto a single high-speed core. Enabling 10x more software updates, more bandwidth, and 35x more AI processing power. The upgrade shows a major shift toward vehicles that change after purchase, improving over time through software and AI integration.

GM is also scaling up robotics at its Automotive Robotics Center in Michigan and its other lab in California, employing over 100 engineers. These labs will train AI systems on decades of manufacturing data to make adaptive/learning robots that boost efficiency and workplace safety.

There is also remarkable progress in energy systems, including EV-to-home backup power and plans for a bi-directional GM Energy Home System by 2026, connecting vehicles, homes, and the electrical grid into one ecosystem.

Do you think GM will actually be able to ship eyes-off full self-driving by 2028? If they do, do you think they will get more sales and become more popular? Let us know in the comments!

Source and images: GM

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