General Motors (GM) is temporarily pausing the development of its self-driving vehicle, Origin. Instead, the legacy automaker plans to focus on developing its next-generation Bolt vehicle.
“This shift creates a more cost-effective and scalable option for pursuing an autonomous future faster while avoiding the uncertain path to regulatory compliance in the U.S. that could impede scaling of the Origin,” shared a GM spokesperson.
General Motors’ Origin vehicles are designed for autonomous driving software. The self-driving car is not outfitted with the usual equipment drivers would need to control a vehicle, like pedals or mirrors.
Late last year, GM reportedly temporarily stopped producing Origin vehicles. At the time, the company stated that it had made many Origin vehicles, and it was “more than enough for the near-term when we are ready to ramp things back up.”
In 2022, the legacy automaker filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding its self-driving Origin vehicles. In the petition, General Motors requested permission to deploy 2,500 self-driving Origin vehicles annually. As of this writing, the NHTSA has not denied or approved the request.
General Motors has been knee-deep in developing its next-gen Chevy Bolt EV this year. In May, GM announced a $390 million investment in Kansas for the next-gen Bolt EV’s production.
Last month, GEM CEO Mary Barra teased that the new Chevy Bolt EV will return with the Ultium platform. Barra added that the Bolt EV would be an affordable contender against Tesla’s next-gen car.
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