There’s no doubt about it, digital technology is taking over the automotive industry. From the development of autonomous driving systems to the emergence of online car sales, car companies are rapidly evolving from car manufacturers to technology companies. 

After the 2008 recession, General Motors (GM) has sought to reinvent itself (and its subsidiaries) for the digital age. Not only does this mean building more high-tech vehicles or “computers on wheels,” but also embracing new business models, cultural values and approaches to innovation. 

GM’s Digital Architecture for Vehicles

Modern vehicles collect massive amounts of driver data via GPS, sensors and cameras that is used for a wide variety of applications including but not limited to:

• Tracking and optimizing vehicle performance
• Understand driver behavior in order to build better safety products (i.e. driver assistance)
• Enable the development of autonomous driving systems
• Enable predictive maintenance
• Build V2V communications systems 

However, that’s not all. Carmakers are increasingly looking to monetize driver data by sharing it with 3rd parties such as advertisers and insurance companies. Along with Tesla, GM has also entered the car insurance market itself with OnStar, believing that the insights it reaps from its vehicle data will give them a leg up against the competition. 

In order to support these efforts, GM has completely overhauled its IT systems and vehicle data architecture. First deployed in the 2020 Cadillac CT5 sedan, GM’s new vehicle digital architecture can process 4.5 terabytes of data per hour (the equivalent of about 980 digitized movies per hour) and represents a 5x increase from its previous system. 

Described as a digital “nervous system,” Global B, as it is called internally, is expected to serve as the foundation for all future innovation at GM including EVs and expanded automated driving. As outlined by SAE, “the advanced architecture will provide for a wide spectrum of over-the-air (OTA) software-update functionality and enhanced driver-assistance and safety capabilities. Apparent dynamic aspects will include faster brake response, smoother and more accurate accelerations and decelerations while using adaptive cruise control and the increasingly sophisticated versions of GM’s Super Cruise SAE Level 2 driver-assistance system, while all onboard cameras now display high-resolution images (to now, a mix of analog and digital has been employed), all with at least 1 megapixel resolution.”

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Driverless Technology

Building the first fully autonomous vehicle is the holy grail for automotive companies. Though we’re probably decades away from AVs becoming mainstream, leading-edge manufacturers such as GM are already developing and testing AV-lite technologies such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). ADAS features do things like warn the driver if their drifting out of their lane or, when they’re backing up, if they’re in danger of hitting an object, person, vehicle, etc. 

In addition to warning the driver, ADAS will “actively” control braking or steering if needed. 

In order to take its driverless technology to the next level, GM has partnered with Microsoft “to amplify its digital capabilities, including collaboration, storage, artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.” As part of these efforts, Microsoft will also be helping commercialize GM’s first self-driving platform, Cruise.

In contrast to other AV projects, Cruise seeks to do more than just deliver a driverless car. The end-goal is to create a fleet of electric AVs that can be leased out via a ride share service. This reflects the changing tastes of consumers as younger generations are less interested in purchasing cars and, when they do, prefer low-emission models.