GM News: GM Still Sees Drivers A Key Part of Their Business Model

[William Maley]

General Motors has announced plans of moving towards an electrified and self-driving future. But in the foreseeable future, the company's core business model of selling vehicles to drivers will not be going away.

“The owner-driver model will be there for a very long time. So far we see (mobility) as additive, but we see it as having potential to grow and be quite substantial,” said GM CEO Mary Barra during a meeting of the Automotive Press Association.

Most of GM's and other automaker's profits come from crossovers, pickup trucks, and SUVs. But GM is planning for a possible future where the automotive landscape is very different. Back in October, the automaker announced an ambitious plan of launching 20 electric and hydrogen vehicles by 2023 - two of those will launch within the next 18 months. The company is also planning to launch a driverless ride-sharing service in 2019.

Source: The Detroit News

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[David]

I would totally agree with this as I really have no need or want of self driving auto's even in commute traffic, I like to drive. Yet with that said, I totally see this as a need for the blind, disabled crowd that self driving auto's would give them mobility and freedom to get around without having to wait on others.

[riviera74]

I would like to see the current driver-involved model to stay.  Yet I am concerned that sooner or later that will be replaced with car-sharing and the like.  For some reason or another, insurance companies will want to end the driver-involved model once and for all, just to save several million dollars.  SAD!!

[daves87rs]

Hate to say it...but DUH!

It's not going away any time.....the true change that you will see in the cities themselves...

 

Doubt you will see much driverless cars or ride sharing in the rural areas....