MT. PLEASANT, Mich.–– The future is right around the corner. Last month, GM announced that it had finished production of 130 self-driving Chevrolet Bolt vehicles. GM believes that this will help them gain a foothold in the race to create autonomous vehicles. Get a firsthand look into the future of driving as
GM produces the first self-driving Chevrolet vehicles! While the timetable for these vehicles hasn't been released to the public, this technology's inception will revolutionize driving for everyone in the future. Read on to learn more about Chevrolet's cutting-edge autonomous vehicle's features!
The self-driving Chevy Bolt EV vehicles were revealed at the Orion Assembly Plant last month. GM has vowed to be the first car company to produce mass-marketed self-driving vehicles to the public, and with the revelation of the autonomous Bolt EV, are showing that they're capable of mass producing these vehicles. These Bolt EV vehicles are Level-4 autonomous vehicles, which means they're able to drive themselves in most situations, but need someone alert and ready behind the wheel to take control in case of any emergencies.
The Bolt's LIDAR, or laser radar technology, gives the vehicle a 360 degree view of its surroundings to allow it to adjust its speed and brake accordingly. They are equipped with sensors, radars, and cameras to keep their drivers safe in any situation, but can still be driven like a normal vehicle if need be.
"Each LIDAR has 32 lasers and spins 360 degrees, providing a detailed view of the world to the car," said Kyle Vogt, CEO of Cruise Automation, a company acquired by GM last year that develops the software necessary to operate self-driving cars. “There are even a couple of cameras that are dedicated just to seeing traffic lights to make sure you don’t run red lights.”
GM's CFO, Chuck Stevens, has vowed to run the self-driving department like a Silicon Valley startup company, investing over $150 million per quarter in the technology to make sure it's available to the public soon. They have also hired over 1,000 new engineers to help produce and innovate this technology at an accelerated rate to market it to the public. While other vehicle companies like Ford and BMW have promised to publicly sell autonomous vehicles by 2021, GM hopes to have their self-driving cars on the road sooner than that with additional help from their investments and engineering prowess.
The Chevy Bolt EV is available to consumers today, with its award-winning capabilities and state-of-the-art technology. While it may not have self-driving technology yet, you can learn more about its features with our
model overview. You can download the brochure, read up on its capabilities, and check prices, too! Last month,
GM produced its first self-driving Chevrolet vehicle, and soon, this futuristic feature will be available to you! The future will be in your hands before you know it!
