General Motors just pulled back the curtain on an array of groundbreaking technological advancements, hinting at a future where your car isn’t just a mode of transport but a conversational companion. The automaker revealed plans for an artificial intelligence assistant that drivers can chat with, along with a significantly more affordable battery, and innovative self-driving software designed to let you truly relax behind the wheel in specific driving scenarios.
These exciting revelations, made at a high-profile event in New York featuring G.M. Chief Executive Mary T. Barra, clearly aimed to position the company as a formidable tech leader, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with innovators like Tesla and emerging Chinese competitors such as BYD.
In a powerful statement, the company declared, “Together, these innovations signify a fundamental shift in G.M.’s evolution,” underscoring their commitment to a transformative future in the automotive world.
Currently, GM’s family of brands—Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC—holds a strong second place in U.S. electric vehicle sales, trailing only Tesla. While high tariffs largely keep Chinese automakers out of the American market, G.M. is actively competing for market share against rapidly growing companies like BYD and Geely across Asia and Latin America.
Although G.M. outsold Tesla globally by approximately two-to-one in the last quarter when accounting for all vehicle types (gas, diesel, and electric), Tesla’s market valuation remains over 20 times higher. This stark difference highlights investors’ strong conviction that Elon Musk’s company is leading the charge in developing groundbreaking technologies like autonomous driving.
Starting next year, G.M. plans to integrate Gemini, Google’s advanced A.I. system, into both its electric and gasoline-powered vehicles. This means drivers and passengers will soon enjoy an intelligent assistant capable of offering personalized restaurant suggestions, turn-by-turn directions, and instant access to vehicle owner’s manual information, all through natural conversation.
Looking further ahead to 2028, G.M. will unveil an enhanced version of its acclaimed Super Cruise driver-assistance software. This upgrade promises a revolutionary “eyes-off” experience on numerous highways, a significant leap from current systems that still demand drivers to monitor the road and be ready to take over. While the initial rollout will be limited to divided highways, future iterations are expected to extend this hands-free convenience to urban driving scenarios.
The luxurious electric Cadillac Escalade SUV is slated to be the very first model to feature this cutting-edge “eyes-off” autonomous driving capability, according to G.M.
To power these sophisticated new features, G.M. vehicles will be outfitted with a robust, next-generation computer system. This powerful hardware ensures rapid software updates and provides ample processing capacity to effortlessly manage the intensive demands of artificial intelligence applications.
In an effort to significantly reduce costs and enhance sustainability, G.M. announced plans to mass-produce batteries starting in 2028 that will incorporate a higher proportion of manganese while reducing the use of more expensive nickel and cobalt. Manganese offers a considerable cost advantage, and thanks to recent breakthroughs in Lithium Manganese Rich (LMR) technology, these new batteries are expected to deliver comparable energy storage capacity to current high-nickel and cobalt alternatives.
G.M. anticipates being the pioneer in bringing this advanced battery technology to market, potentially slashing electric vehicle manufacturing costs by thousands of dollars per unit. However, company executives acknowledged that Chinese competitors are also actively developing similar solutions.
The automotive industry is facing intense pressure to lower battery costs, both to effectively compete with Chinese manufacturers and to sustain electric vehicle sales. This challenge is heightened by the recent removal of federal tax credits by the Trump administration and congressional Republicans, which previously offered consumers up to $7,500 in savings on EV purchases.
As it stands, batteries represent the single most costly component in electric vehicles, largely contributing to their higher price point compared to traditional gasoline-powered cars.