GM Is Considering Hiring Back Workers It Just Fired
General Motors wants to get serious about autonomous driving once again, with a new push aimed at creating fully self-driving vehicles for private owners rather than a robotaxi service.
Key Points
- GM is reviving its push into autonomous driving, focusing on private vehicles rather than robotaxis, with plans to rehire some former Cruise employees.
- The renewed strategy is being led by Sterling Anderson, a veteran of Tesla Autopilot and Aurora, who aims to position GM as a leader in fully autonomous technology.
- The company is targeting advanced Level 3 and Level 4 self-driving systems, with the long-term goal of achieving fully autonomous Level 5 capability.
According to a new Bloomberg report, the automaker is actively looking at rehiring some of the talent it originally laid off when it shut down its Cruise robotaxi division late last year.
Cruise, once a beacon for GM’s autonomous aspirations, was officially wound down in December 2024 after an incident with one of its robotaxis that seriously injured a pedestrian. Regulators came down hard on the company, eventually leading to nine top executives being fired and the resignation of former CEO Kyle Vogt. The robotaxi program’s signature vehicle, the Cruise Origin, was killed almost instantly.
At that time, GM shifted its focus to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for personal vehicles, integrating some of Cruise’s technology and staff into its core operations.
The new effort is reportedly being driven by Sterling Anderson, GM’s chief product officer since May, who is a veteran of Tesla’s Autopilot program and co-founder of Aurora. Anderson is believed to be convinced that fully autonomous driving remains key to GM’s future and is intent on positioning the company as a leader in the field.
The renewed push could see a portion of the roughly 1,000 former Cruise employees return to the GM fold, although it’s unclear how many hires GM will ultimately make. The company has confirmed it is “accelerating the development of autonomous driving technology capable of operating without active human oversight,” which suggests work is focused on Level 3 and Level 4 automation—systems that can drive themselves under specific conditions with minimal or no driver input.
Longer-term, GM would presumably target Level 5 autonomy, where no human intervention is required at all.
Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
An experienced automotive storyteller and accomplished photographer known for engaging and insightful content. Michael also brings a wealth of technical knowledge—he was part of the Ford GT program at Multimatic, oversaw a fleet of Audi TCR race cars, ziptied Lamborghini Super Trofeo cars back together, been over the wall during the Rolex 24, and worked in the intense world of IndyCar.
More by Michael Accardi
Comments
Join the conversation
The only way I would buy an autonomous vehicle is if I were paraplegic. Otherwise, I prefer a drive it yourself car. I not only trust more in my driving abilities than in a machine but I also enjoy driving.