General Motors Unveils AI and Autonomous Driving Tech Developed in Israel
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
General Motors has unveiled new AI and autonomous driving technologies, with significant development contributions from its Israeli R&D center. The company introduced OnStar AI for enhanced voice control and is advancing its Super Cruise autonomous system, aiming for Level 3 autonomy. The Herzliya-based center, established in 2008, has been crucial in developing these features, as well as improving EV charging experiences. GM highlighted the Israeli center's role in fostering the country's automotive tech ecosystem.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- General Motors unveiled new AI and autonomous driving technologies developed significantly in Israel.
- OnStar AI will allow advanced voice commands and contextual understanding in 2027 Cadillac Lyriq models.
- GM's Super Cruise autonomous system is progressing towards Level 3 autonomy, removing the need for eye contact.
- The GM development center in Herzliya, Israel, is a major hub for OnStar and Super Cruise development.
- The Israeli center also contributes to electric vehicle charging solutions and the broader Israeli auto tech industry.
General Motors (GM) revealed an ambitious vision for the future of vehicles at its annual GM Forward event in New York, presenting cars not just as transportation but as personal assistants managing daily life. Sterling Anderson, GM's Chief Product Officer, stated the goal is to make travel time more productive and engaging, rather than simply reducing it. A key announcement was OnStar AI, a new artificial intelligence assistant set to debut in 2027 Cadillac Lyriq models, enabling simple voice commands for functions like climate control.
Looking further ahead, Anderson suggested OnStar AI could manage complex tasks, such as coordinating family schedules based on vehicle locations. Concurrently, GM is enhancing its Super Cruise autonomous driving system, a competitor to Tesla's FSD. Super Cruise currently allows drivers to remove their hands from the wheel, and GM plans to soon eliminate the need for constant eye contact with the road. GM emphasizes Super Cruise's reliability and safety, contrasting it with Tesla's system.
Much of this advanced technology stems from GM's Israeli development center in Herzliya, the largest and oldest automotive R&D center in Israel, established in 2008 and employing hundreds. This center has been instrumental in developing the OnStar system and the Super Cruise technology. Gilboa Shviki, Director of the GM Israel Development Center, noted that while development is globally integrated, the Israeli center plays a significant role in specific areas.
Shviki explained that new OnStar capabilities, developed in Israel, integrate vehicle cameras with AI to understand the car's surroundings and respond to natural language queries about vehicle status or external events. The Israeli center also contributes to autonomous driving advancements, moving Super Cruise towards SAE Level 3 autonomy, which would allow driving without looking at the road, with future plans for urban autonomous driving.
Beyond safety and intelligence, the Israeli center is involved in optimizing the electric vehicle charging experience, developing a universal interface for drivers to connect to any charging station globally, including competing networks like Tesla's, without needing multiple apps. Shviki highlighted the center's historical impact on Israel's automotive industry, positioning it as a pioneer that facilitated the growth of automotive companies and startups in the country.