General Motors

  • Concept rendering for Cruise purpose-built self-driving car

    In the race to develop the world's first safe, reliable and robust driverless ride-hailing service, General Motors and its Cruise self-driving car unit just received major backing from rival automaker Honda. The companies announced Wednesday that Honda will invest $2.75 billion in the Cruise unit over the next 12 years, with $750 million of the investment representing an equity stake and the rest to help fund the development and deployment of the ride-hailing service. The announcement comes just four months after SoftBank Vision Fund, which has more than $100b of assets under management and...

  • General Motors Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan
    GM files trademark for "Sport Control AWD" name

    General Motors has something brewing involving an all-wheel-drive system. GM Authority first discovered on Wednesday a trademark filing for the name "Sport Control AWD." The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted the filing on September 20 and noted the name will be associated with...

  • General Motors Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan
    GM trademarks DriveScription, potential name for subscription service

    General Motors may be preparing to dive further into the car-subscription segment. The automaker filed to trademark the DriveScription name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on August 27. GM Authority first discovered the trademark filing on Tuesday, which was filed to the goods...

  • GM's Maven Peer Cars car sharing service
    Make extra money renting out your GM car through Maven

    General Motors' Maven mobility brand will now let owners rent out their personal car. Maven announced on Tuesday that Peer Cars will launch in a handful of U.S. cities for a beta ahead of a larger rollout this fall. Peer-to-peer car sharing is best known via Turo, which allows owners to rent out...

  • Buick Velite 6 Plug-in Hybrid battery layout
    GM and Honda partner on next-gen batteries

    General Motors and Honda on Thursday announced plans to work together on next-generation batteries for electric cars to fast-track their development for both automakers. The batteries are said to deliver higher energy density, smaller packaging and faster charging than current designs. They will be...

  • GM 3D-printed seat bracket concept part
    GM banks on 3D printed parts for lower costs, vehicle weights

    Future automotive components could look less like rigid pieces and more like organic shapes. General Motors announced on Thursday that the automaker has worked with Bay-area software company Autodesk to create a 3D-printed component to preview future manufacturing processes. The part is a seat...

  • GM 9-speed automatic transmission

    After General Motors and Ford committed to co-developing new 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions, Ford has passed on the former. Per the agreement, Ford took on work for the 10-speed automatic, used for rear-wheel-drive vehicles, and GM undertook the 9-speed automatic for front-wheel-drive applications. Ford's reason for rejecting GM's transmission? The efficiency gains didn't outweigh the extra weight and cost, Ford spokesman Mike Levine said in a statement to Automotive News on Monday. Strangely enough, Ford apparently decided against using the 9-speed transmission before GM introduced...

  • Amazon In-Car Delivery Option
    Amazon will now deliver packages to your car

    Select Amazon shoppers now have a new option for delivery of their purchases: the trunk of their car. Amazon announced the new service on Tuesday and it will roll out for owners of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, and Volvo vehicles. The process is relatively straightforward and requires an active...

  • GM launches personal mobility brand: Maven
    GM to test AirBnB-style program for cars

    General Motors is positioning itself for a subscription-based future with its Maven personal mobility and car-sharing service, and its next step may set its sights on the Turo service, which is an AirBnB for cars. The automaker will reportedly launch a pilot peer-to-peer car rental service this...

  • GM patent for twin-charged high-compression hybrid powertrain
    GM patented a ridiculously high-compression twin-charged hybrid powertrain

    The latest General Motors patent underscores how busy the automaker's powertrain engineers have been. The automaker received a patent approval for a high-compression, twin-charged hybrid powertrain in October, AutoGuide reported Wednesday. And when we say "high compression," we're talking...

  • 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
    GM to use carbon fiber in next-generation pickup beds?

    General Motors has made efforts to slash weight from its vehicles, and its next-generation full-size pickup trucks might get the most surprising lightweight solution yet. They might be in line for a carbon-fiber-induced diet. The automaker might use the strong, lightweight material in the beds of...

  • GM Marketplace to allow drivers to shop and order food in-car
    You can now order coffee, donuts, or GM products right from a GM vehicle

    General Motors wants to make it easier to order your Starbucks coffee, find the nearest Shell station, or even reserve a table at the local TGI Fridays. On Tuesday, the automaker announced GM Marketplace, a commerce platform for on-demand reservations and purchases run through your infortainment...

  • 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

    Earlier this week we brought you spy shots of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Today we have the first shots of the pickup’s corporate cousin, the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The current Sierra was introduced in 2014 and updated in 2016. The Sierra seen here testing is more of an extensive update of the current model as opposed to a redesign. The spy shots reveal a number of visual tweaks such as the new headlights, grille and lower front valance. The fog lights also take on a vertical look instead of the horizontal design of the current model. The good news is that it looks like General...

  • 2018 Chevrolet Sonic
    Service, not protectionism, is why American car brands suffer in Japan

    It's something that has bothered numerous U.S. leaders for decades: Why do American automakers struggle to gain a foothold in the world's third-largest auto market, Japan? Recently, President Donald Trump opened up this conversation yet again on his 12-day-long Asia-Pacific trip. He referenced the...

  • Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk at Tesla Store opening in Westfield Mall, London, Oct 2013
    Elon Musk is "full of crap" with self-driving car promises, says GM exec

    Automakers and technology companies from around the world continue to press forward with their autonomous-driving technologies, but a handful remain standouts. Arguably, Tesla arrived on the scene first with its Autopilot system. However, despite its name, the technology is far from capable of...

  • GM Cruise Automation self-driving Bolt EV
    GM buys lidar developer for self-driving car projects

    General Motors continues to pursue an ambitious self-driving car agenda. It recently acquired Cruise Automation to help speed up development of its own self-driving cars. Now it's purchased another company, Strobe Inc. Strobe develops lidar systems, an essential component for self-driving and...

  • Chevrolet Bolt EV self-driving prototype
    GM is testing a ride-sharing app for self-driving electric cars

    General Motors envisions a future in which self-driving cars aren't simply owned personally; they also pick up and drop off individuals. Along with its Cruise Automation subsidiary that it bought last year, the automaker has begun beta testing a ride-sharing app to hail self-driving Chevrolet Bolt...

  • 2017 Opel Insignia Grand Sport
    GM's sale of Opel to France’s PSA Group is complete

    General Motors and French automaker PSA Group on Tuesday announced the completion of the sale of Opel. Its acquisition of Opel means PSA Group is second only to the Volkswagen Group for size among European automakers. Combined deliveries for PSA and Opel totaled 4.3 million vehicles in 2016, or...

  • GM Renaissance Center American flag

    Although some automakers—notably Tesla—have been utilizing over-the-air (OTA) updates for years in its vehicles, many others have shied away from the technology. But, as security increases and costs decrease, automakers are slowly adopting the technology. General Motors is on deck. GM CEO Mary Barra told investors the automaker will begin OTA updates by 2020, according to Automotive News (subscription required). Per Barra, GM is currently in the process of rolling out a new electrical architecture alongside a new generation of infotainment systems, which will usher in OTA-update...

  • GM Renaissance Center American flag
    GM sued over potentially cheating diesel emission tests, but not by feds

    The state of diesel-powered passenger vehicles has been precarious since Volkswagen's scandal broke nearly two years ago. Since then, other automakers have been accused of abusing auxiliary emission control devices. Now, the blame turns to General Motors. According to Reuters, GM has been served a...

  • General Motors Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan
    GM to end sales in India, manufacturing in South Africa

    General Motors on Thursday made major announcements concerning its operations in India and South Africa. The automaker confirmed that it will cease sales in India by the end of 2017, though it will still continue to manufacture cars there for export. Stefan Jacoby, who heads GM’s unit for...

  • GM Renaissance Center American flag
    GM says Venezuela has illegally seized its manufacturing plant

    General Motors will immediately cease operations in the country of Venezuela after the U.S. automaker announced authorities there illegally seized its manufacturing plant and industrial hub. The hub, situated in Valencia, employs 2,678 workers. “Yesterday, GMV’s (General Motors...

  • PSA Group CEO Carlos Tavares and GM CEO Mary Barra
    Following Opel sale, more downsizing in store for GM

    General Motors this month finally sold its struggling European unit Opel (along with Vauxhall, Opel’s brand for the United Kingdom) to France's PSA Group after racking up two decades of losses totaling close to $20 billion. However, it’s unlikely the automaker has finished its...

  • 2017 Opel Insignia Grand Sport
    GM sells Opel to France’s PSA Group

    General Motors confirmed on Monday that it has reached an agreement to sell its struggling European division Opel to French auto giant PSA Group, the parent of French brands Citroën, DS and Peugeot. The deal, which is valued at 2.2 billion euros (approximately $2.33 billion), will see PSA...

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