General Motors (NYSE:GM) plans to launch a variety of new software features that will enable drivers to talk to their cars, as well as take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road.
Working with Google (GOOG) (GOOGL), GM (NYSE:GM) will outfit new vehicles next year with a conversational Google Gemini AI, as well as a driver assist system that will “transform the car from a mode of transportation into an intelligent assistant,” CEO Mary Barra said at the company’s “GM Forward” event in New York City.
By developing a centralized computing platform, GM (NYSE:GM) will create a fully autonomous driving system in which drivers can take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road. The technology will be available beginning with the $127K Cadillac Escalade IQ EV in 2028.
“Autonomy will make our roads safer. They’ll give customers back their most valuable asset: time,” said GM’s chief product officer Sterling Anderson at the event. “It’ll be a cornerstone of GM product portfolio going forward.”
Using LiDAR technology, the vehicle will be able to better detect its environment, evolving incrementally to reach its full potential for complete hands free, eyes-off-the-road driving.
Other announcements at the event included an energy home system to enable bi-directional EV charging and a stationary home battery.