Cruise is a self-driving car company that specializes in developing autonomous vehicle technology. It was founded in 2013 by Kyle Vogt and Dan Kan, and it is based in San Francisco, California. There has been some confusion about whether Cruise is a GM company or not, so in this article, we will explore this question in detail.
What is GM?
General Motors (GM) is a well-known American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, markets and distributes vehicles and vehicle parts. It was founded on September 16, 1908 and has its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. The company produces vehicles under different brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC.
Is Cruise a GM Company?
In short, yes. While Cruise was founded independently of GM in 2013, it was acquired by GM in March 2016 for $1 billion. Since then, Cruise has been operating as an independent subsidiary of GM with its own leadership team while leveraging the resources of its parent company.
How Does Cruise Fit into GM’s Strategy?
GM’s acquisition of Cruise was part of the company’s broader strategy to develop and implement autonomous vehicle technology. This technology has the potential to revolutionize transportation by reducing accidents caused by human error and making travel more efficient.
By acquiring Cruise, GM gained access to its autonomous vehicle technology which enables cars to drive themselves without human intervention. Moreover, the acquisition allowed GM to expand its research and development efforts in this field.
Cruise’s Progress So Far
Since being acquired by GM, Cruise has made significant progress towards developing self-driving cars that can operate safely on public roads. In fact, it has already launched a pilot program for its self-driving cars on the streets of San Francisco.
Cruise’s autonomous vehicles are equipped with advanced sensors such as Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) and cameras that allow them to “see” the road and surrounding environment. They are also equipped with sophisticated software that enables them to navigate complex traffic situations and make decisions in real-time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Cruise is a GM company. While it was founded independently, it has been operating as an independent subsidiary of GM since its acquisition in 2016.
GM’s acquisition of Cruise was part of its broader strategy to develop and implement autonomous vehicle technology, which has the potential to revolutionize transportation. Cruise has made significant progress towards developing self-driving cars that can operate safely on public roads, and it will be interesting to see how this technology evolves in the coming years.