General Motors (GM) is reportedly abandoning its Ultra Cruise project, the anticipated next-generation semi-autonomous driver assistance system, according to sources familiar with the matter. The decision comes in the wake of challenges faced by GM in its autonomous vehicle technology initiatives, particularly following an incident in October. The company is said to be redirecting its efforts towards further developing Super Cruise, its existing semi-autonomous driver assist system.
GM had introduced Ultra Cruise in 2021 as an advancement of the Super Cruise system, with promises of enhanced capabilities. However, a recent CNBC report, citing anonymous sources, suggests that GM will discontinue the Ultra Cruise program and concentrate on expanding the reach and capabilities of Super Cruise. The latter system enables hands-free driving on extended highway routes across 200,000 miles of North American roads.
Although GM has not officially commented on the fate of Ultra Cruise, Darryll Harrison Jr., the company’s vice president of global technology communications, indicated a commitment to continue advancing Super Cruise. The focus is on ensuring the safe deployment of this technology across various GM brands and vehicle categories, with plans to expand its coverage to additional roads.
Ultra Cruise was initially slated for a 2023 launch, aiming to provide hands-free driving in 95 percent of driving scenarios on two million roads in the U.S. and Canada. In contrast, Super Cruise covers hands-free driving during extended highway journeys.
GM has encountered obstacles in its autonomous driving endeavors, notably within its autonomous vehicle division, Cruise. Investigations followed an October incident where a pedestrian was dragged under a fully autonomous Cruise test vehicle. The aftermath included layoffs at Cruise, the departure of the CEO, a grounding of the autonomous vehicle fleet, and the revocation of Cruise’s autonomous technology testing permit.