While at Axios’ What’s Next Summit, General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra confirmed the company is planning to sell personal self-driving cars by the middle of the 2020s.
The confirmation comes as the Cruise Origin continues its validation process at Factory Zero.
The Cruise Origin should hit the streets in 2023. The vehicles will be used as a robotaxi service.
Barra also confirmed that the company would sell personal autonomous vehicles by the mid-decade. However, she warned that they would be expensive.
When asked about personal autonomous cars, Barra had this to say: (via Detroit Free Press)
“That technology is expensive. We already have a lot of work going on at Cruise to get the cost of the technology down. So as the capability of the vehicle goes up, the cost will come down. But it will start as a relatively higher-priced vehicle until we get the technology down.”
Barra also talked about her quest to find GM’s purpose during the same summit. She noted that she crafted the company’s statement of purpose to guide employees and attract new talent.
However, she found inspiration from GM‘s original articles of incorporation, which talked about pioneering.
GM’s new statement of purpose is:
“Our purpose at General Motors is to pioneer the innovations that move and connect people to what matters.”
