[Steverino]

Cruise Automation, is a San Francisco-based startup making sensors that turn regular vehicles into ones that can drive themselves.

The move is part of a big bet for GM in the driverless car industry as several of the major car manufacturers are now racing to implement this type of technology.

http://techcrunch.com/2016/03/11/gm...se-as-part-of-a-plan-to-make-driverless-cars/

 

[Loboc]

I saw this on another site this morning. Pretty exciting stuff.

There is someone making an AI computer for autonomous driving as well.

I think car manufacturers will get away from chips-n-code for these functions and go to a more Artificial Intelligence approach. AI could have learning capability and sharing capability with other cars. Once this happens, the systems will get smarter and smarter until they refuse to do mundane tasks like carting humans around. See movie 'Her'.

 

[Qinsp]

I was thinking more like the movie Christine.

 

[Qinsp]

With the "graying of America" autonomous cars could indeed be a big market.

 

[Neromanceres]

I like the Blue Bolt EV in the background!

 

[DonC]

Very interesting acquisition. Not so much that it happened but the price seems very steep. Should be a sweet day for some VC and employees!

 

[Steverino]

Lyft, Maven, now Cruise. It's good to see GM taking some action. Of course, spending money is easy. Melding the acquisitions into GM so they produce something the market wants is the tough part. Culture clashes can be very disruptive. Hopefully GM has a way to keep the new blood innovative.

The Volt and the Bolt EV have both been referred to in some of these plans. Wireless charging would enable an autonomous, ride sharing Bolt EV to park itself over a wireless charging station for vandal and hassle free recharges. But can wireless seems insufficient compared to DC fast charging.

 

[Ladogaboy]

So they are buying into all of this, but they aren't willing to invest in a high-speed charging network. Seems like incongruous strategies.

 

[Qinsp]

So they are buying into all of this, but they aren't willing to invest in a high-speed charging network. Seems like incongruous strategies.

I think GM is conceding the "travel at leisure" pre-planned, not in hurry, interstate market to Tesla. They worked hard and deserve it.

GM's first serious EV was the Volt. It requires NO infrastructure or 30 minute waits. It has better interstate mobility than any EV. The Bolt will be a urban vehicle with a 1.5 hour combat radius.

Most BEV owners also own an ICE car, although many do not admit it.

 

[Ladogaboy]

The Bolt will be a urban vehicle with a 1.5 hour combat radius.

I'll be using mine for semi regular 1,100 mile trips.

 

[Qinsp]

I'll be using mine for semi regular 1,100 mile trips.

While I do drive coast to coast and in between, it's never without cargo. No PHEV or EV can do it (VIA Motors? Not ready for prime time, nor high enough GCVWR). If just people moving, it's airplanes for me. Time, wear and tear, meals, rooms, fuel, when you add it all up, flying is a lot cheaper.