General Motors is tightening its control over autonomous vehicle unit Cruise with a plan to buy SoftBank Vision fund’s stake in the San Francisco-based tech company and pour in an additional $1.35 billion as it edges closer to launching a self-driving ride service.
The Detroit-based automaker said on Friday afternoon that it intends to pay SoftBank $2.1 billion for its stake in Cruise, announcing the plan after the close of regular trading. Honda Motor Co. is also a Cruise investor and is helping GM develop the electric Origin van that will serve as the core model for its autonomous ride and delivery service.
“GM is leveraging the strength of its balance sheet to capitalize on the opportunity to increase its equity investment in Cruise and advance our integrated autonomous vehicle strategy,” Mary Barra, the carmaker’s CEO and chair, said in a . “Our increased investment position not only simplifies Cruise’s shareholder structure, but also provides GM and Cruise maximum flexibility to pursue the most value-accretive path to commercializing and unlocking the full potential of AV technology.”GM’s plans for Cruise have been evolving in recent months, with the dismissal of former CEO Dan Ammann in December 2021, and the elevation of Cruise cofounder Kyle Vogt, its CTO, to the top job last month.
Cruise will start adding Origins to its fleet next year and thinks having them do double-duty throughout the day, acting as robotaxis during rush hour peaks and shifting to grocery and food deliveries when ride demand drops, can maximize revenue,“Cruise will continue to operate as it does today – an independent company working alongside GM in a flexible, collaborative partnership,” he said in a statement on Friday.
alanohnsman Popular Cars Without Computer Chips by Perter Jones via Motor and Wheels (12.06.2021).