GM Digital Vehicle Platform Acting on its goal of winning by scoring all zeroes General Motors Corp. today unveiled a new electronic platform that will be the underpinnings for its next generation of vehicles. GM CEO Mary Barra has said the company’s vision of the future is one with “zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion” and is being manifested by the company’s focus on developing electric and autonomous vehicles internally and through partnerships. This new platform is another step towards turning that vision into reality, said GM President Mark Reuss. Mark Reuss, Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain,... [+] General Motors Company. “The critical role of software and its importance to our vehicles, both now and for years to come, cannot be overstated,” said Reuss in a written statement. “Our new digital vehicle platform and its eventual successors will underpin all our future innovations across a wide range of technological advancements, including EVs and expanded automated driving.” Specifically, the platform powers an electronic system capable of managing up to 4.5 terabytes of data processing power per hour--a fivefold increase over GM’s current electronic architecture, the company said. GM's digital vehicle platform powers an electronic system capable of managing up to 4.5 terabytes of... [+] data processing power per hour, a fivefold increase over the company's current electrical architecture. (Jeffrey Sauger for General Motors) The new architecture also speeds up communication within the vehicle and externally with ethernet connections of 100 Mbs, 1 Gpbs and 10 Gbps and will include strengthened cybersecurity features, according to GM. VIDEO GM is looking to the new architecture’s increased capabilities to boost its Super Cruise hands-free driver-assist system now available on model year 2018 (produced after Sept. 6, 2017) and 2019 Cadillac CT6 vehicles. The 2020 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury model. The company plans to put the new electronic platform into production later this year debuting on the 2020 Cadillac CT5 sedan, then rolled out to most vehicles in GM’s global lineup by 2023. GM is covering its bets as it uses “house money” won by scoring profits on high sticker price internal combustion engine-powered pickup trucks and SUVs to finance its heavy investments in battery electric and autonomous vehicles. General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra talks with media prior to the start of the 2017 General... [+] Motors Company Annual Meeting of Stockholders Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at GM Global Headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Steve Fecht for General Motors) In comments to analysts during last month’s conference call to discuss first quarter results, Barra said GM will build a second battery electric Chevrolet model along with the Bolt and that its GM Cruise autonomous vehicle unit will double its workforce, hiring 1,000 new workers this year. Indeed, this new electronic platform may not just be the underpinnings for future vehicles, but for GM’s long-term future vision, founded in the number zero.
General Motors (GM) has launched a digital platform for its next generation of vehicles, including EVs and AVs, to further its aim of a future with “zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion”. The platform increases the power of the company’s data-processing capabilities five-fold. GM is using this new technology in conjunction with other automakers to develop autonomous driving systems that can be used by all car manufacturers. The platform is expected to move into production through the launch of GM’s 2020 Cadillac CT5 sedan. It will also be used to boost the hands-free driver-assist system, Super Cruise, in 2018 and 2019 Cadillac CT6 models.