General Motors acquires Cruise Automation, whose software expertise and rapid development capability will further accelerate GM’s development of autonomous vehicle technology.
Cruise will operate as an independent unit within the auto maker’s recently formed autonomous vehicle development team, which is led by Doug Parks, GM vice president of autonomous technology and vehicle execution. The startup was founded in 2013 and will continue to be based in San Francisco, California, where it has moved quickly to develop and test autonomous vehicle technology in the city’s challenging urban environment.
The acquisition of Cruise is GM’s latest step toward its goal of redefining the future of personal mobility. Since the beginning of the year, GM has entered into a strategic alliance with ride-sharing company Lyft; formed Maven, its personal mobility brand for car-sharing fleets in many US cities; and established a separate unit for autonomous vehicle development.
March 16, 2016
