Even GM cars drive themselves

General Motors has announced the launch of open-road tests for its next-generation autonomous driving technology, marking a new phase of development. After years of data collection and simulations, the trials will initially take place on controlled-access highways in California and Michigan, involving over 200 vehicles with an experienced driver on board ready to intervene. This shift from data collection to active experimentation in real-world conditions is a significant step forward in the evolution of autonomous driving.

The project relies heavily on a vast amount of data accumulated over time. GM’s development vehicles have covered over 1.6 million kilometers in the United States across 34 states, providing essential data to train automated systems. In addition to these real-world miles, millions of simulated kilometers are run daily, equivalent to about 100 years of human driving, to test complex scenarios and enhance safety.

Notable contributions also come from Cruise, accumulating over 8 million kilometers of fully autonomous driving in complex urban environments without a driver. All this data is used to refine the artificial intelligence that steers the vehicle to ensure maximum reliability before commercial launch.

GM aims to introduce an “eyes-off” driving system by 2028, where continuous driver supervision is not necessary. Starting with premium models like the Cadillac Escalade IQ, the system will gradually expand to other vehicles, both electric and gas-powered.

The technology will be built on a new centralized electronic architecture, allowing integrated management of all vehicle functions without the need for separate systems for each model. The deployment will begin on highways where conditions are more predictable before evolving towards fully automated point-to-point driving, a gradual but decisive step towards increasingly autonomous mobility.