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GM’s Barra Says Tech, Customers Will Drive Strategy
Ride-sharing services could help General Motors Co. generate new business in urban areas, but the privately owned vehicle will remain the mainstay of the auto industry for many years to come, says CEO Mary Barra.
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Ride-sharing services could help General Motors Co. generate new business in urban areas, but the privately owned vehicle will remain the mainstay of the auto industry for many years to come, says CEO Mary Barra.
In wide-ranging comments at an Automotive Press Assn. event in Detroit, Barra also says technology will continue to disrupt the car business. But she emphasizes that customer demand will ultimately drive the industry.
That includes interest in electric cars. Barra notes that the purchase decision for many would-be customers could fade if Congress opts to drop the current $7,500 tax credit for EV buyers.
Separately, Barra didn’t rule out a GM return to the European market, even though the company sold its operations there four months ago to PSA Group.
Some form of return is “absolutely” possible, Barra declares, although probably not as a mass-market producer of conventional vehicles. More likely channels would be through mobility services or supplying autonomous driving systems for robotic shuttles.
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