Car Shipping Carriers has been reporting about the many companies that are testing self-driving cars. Companies like Google, Tesla, Freightliner, etc. are all testing units to be self-driving. Now it is time to add GM to the list of companies looking to produce a self-driving car.
GM has made some great progress since the bankruptcy in the late 2000’s and a self-driving car will push the envelop even farther for the company. Self-driving cars are not a matter of if, but a matter of when. We are assuming that when the first ones are related they will not be cheap, however they will help keep our roads safer.
How is GM going to test its own self-driving cars? Well, they will have their own employees test it out at their Warren Tech Center in Michigan. They are claiming that next year employees will be able to call up a Chevy Volt to pick them up and drive them to a destination without anyone actually deriving the car.
Other news is that GM is looking to venture out into new businesses. One business is the creation of an electric bicycle. They are looking to use OsStar communications along with the bike. They are trying to build the driving equivalent of cloud computing. An electric bike does seem like it would be a big hit in major metropolitan areas like NYC, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Many people who live downtown could hop on a bike to make short distance commutes.
Also, GM has been developing car-sharing demos across the globe and they will have one starting next year in New York City called “Let’s Ride NYC”. This car sharing service costs $2,995 (the starting rate) and people within an apartment building will have access to the vehicle. Gm has been using these car sharing demos as a way to test apps and technology. It has not been a money maker, but it is helping GM find out what people like and doesn’t like when using the service.
The future is looking bright for the GM self-driving car coming soon, and its electric bike and car sharing services.
