General Motors announced last Thursday that it would spend $100 million to begin making production versions of its self-driving electric Chevy Bolt sedans at its Orion Township and Brownstown plants. The “Cruise AV,” will be the company’s first production-ready vehicle built to operate without a steering wheel, pedals, or manual controls.
The vehicles will be produced at the Orion Township assembly plant, while the rooftop module that allows the car to visualize its surroundings will be manufactured at the Brownstown plant.
“We’re continuing to make great progress on our plans to commercialize in 2019,” said GM president Dan Ammann in a statement. “Our Orion and Brownstown teams have proven experience in building high-quality self-driving test vehicles and battery packs, so they are well-prepared to produce the Cruise AV.”
The rooftop module integrates special hardware such as LIDAR, cameras, sensors, and more. GM says it will invest more than $100 million to upgrade both facilities. Roof assembly production is already underway, and production of the fourth-generation Cruise AV is predicted to begin in 2019.
