Why GM Has A Long Way To Go On

In the tech world, “move fast and break things” has evolved from an internal Facebook motto to the default way of operating across countless industries. But when something can literally move fast and break things, a little more care and deliberation is probably a good thing. 

That seems to be what we’re getting from General Motors as it seeks to add LIDAR and “eyes-off” driving to Super Cruise, elevating what’s already a “hands-free” experience on most highways. But that level of advanced autonomy isn’t coming “next year,” as at least one prominent automotive and tech CEO has been proclaiming for at least a decade. It’s happening in 2028 at the earliest—and GM has a lot of hurdles to clear in the meantime.

That kicks off this Monday edition of Critical Materials, our morning roundup of industry and technology news. Also on deck today: Japan’s biggest automotive trade show kicks off this week, and some convenience-store proprietors have doubts about their EV charging investments. 

30%: Regulations, Caution Will Define What’s Next For Super Cruise

GM Forward Event 2025 — Super Cruise LIDAR

Photo by: Patrick George

At the GM Forward event in New York City last week, the General had a lot to say about what’s next in terms of future-facing tech: LIDAR-powered autonomy, conversational in-car AI from Gemini and more home energy storage options, just to name a few. We were there covering it and you can read our deeper dives here, here and here. 

The big one is autonomy and LIDAR. The latter barely exists on passenger cars Americans can buy, save for a few examples like the Volvo EX90, which don’t use it yet for eyes-free driving. We’re only starting to see this more on China’s advanced EVs, too.

So GM could be in a position to deliver the widest deployment of LIDAR and eyes-off driving—meaning, your hands are off the wheel, and you can read a book or something while the car handles the driving—that America has ever seen. (At least, in consumer applications; I’m counting Waymo as a separate thing.)

But countless hurdles need to be cleared by then. America needs a national regulation set for that level of autonomy, for one. And then there are questions about driver training end education, as this will come from mainstream brands like Chevrolet and Cadillac, not first-adopter stuff like Tesla or Lucid. More analysis and color from Automotive News: 

“Trust really, really matters here,” [GM Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson] said. “If you want to play the long game in autonomy, you roll out incrementally and slowly.”

GM will be among the first automakers to bring advanced driver-assistance technology to the U.S. that would be considered a Level 3 system by the SAE Levels of Driving Automation. At that level, an automated system is driving when activated in a defined area, such as a highway, but a human is required to take over when the system requests.

But being a leader in the space also means GM will have to navigate complex regulatory issues and questions about legal liability that are not yet settled, analysts say. Skepticism remains about adoption of self-driving technology, and experts say consumer education about its capabilities — and limitations — will be vital.

“If the execution isn’t fully baked, then there’s no advantage to being first mover,” said Paul Waatti, director of industry analysis at AutoPacific. “But I think GM is cautious enough, especially with the self-driving, eyes-off aspect, that if it’s not ready, then they’re not going to put it into market.”

Anderson added: “We will not deploy a system that requires vigilance from the human or rapid action on their part to keep the vehicle safe,” Anderson said. In other words, GM isn’t in a position to take wild risks like some of the startups are—and frankly, that’s probably a good thing. 

60%: Japan Mobility Show Kicks Off This Week; Who Will Bring The EV Goods?

BYD Kei Car Teaser

Photo by: BYD

The Japan Mobility Show, that country’s biggest automotive expo, happens every two years. I was at the one in 2023, and it was a huge EV lovefest—a showcase of how Japan Inc. intended to catch up to the U.S., Europe and especially China on electric and software-driven cars.

But now the U.S. is in full retreat mode on EVs, policy-wise. Europe’s automakers are showing pain points too. And China’s auto sector still has a commanding EV lead, but it’s surely headed for consolidation and slowdowns soon.

So I’m curious whether Japan’s carmakers—who are naturally reluctant to embrace plug-in vehicles and are quite behind the curve on software—will show the same level of enthusiasm at the 2025 edition of the show that kicks off this week. 

Among the expected debuts: that EV concept from Sharp, a compact Honda EV that we think is based on its new 0 Series platform, an electric concept from Suzuki, an electric bike from Yamaha, and maybe (hopefully?) that electric Toyota Corolla-thing that was teased a few weeks ago. 

But the real wake-up call for Japan’s auto sector could be the kei-car-sized EV from China’s BYD, which is teased above. Here’s what CarNewsChina dug up: 

According to previous spy photos, the new car incorporates sliding rear doors for easier entry and exit. The design ensures the rear wheel positioning doesn’t compromise the rear doors. The vehicle also offers good visibility with large windows and a floating roof design. Both the front and rear of the car feature ring-shaped light designs.

According to BYD Auto Japan, this K-Car prototype represents BYD’s first overseas-exclusive design that complies with Japan’s compact car regulations. It embodies BYD’s corporate philosophy of “reducing Earth’s temperature by 1°C” and showcases the company’s latest battery technology and manufacturing capabilities.

BYD showing up on Japan’s home turf is a story I’m low-key obsessed with. We’ll see if Japanese car-buyers show up for it.

90%: Convenience Store Execs Doubt EV Charging Investments

BMW iX Ionna Rechargery Sheetz

Photo by: Suvrat Kothari

I, for one, love EV charging stations I see at gas stations. There’s a growing number of them in neighboring Pennsylvania, and I’m a fan—they’re easy to spot on the highway, and you know you can get a restroom and snacks if you need those things. 

More and more of those are coming, but some convenience store executives tell Utility Dive they aren’t seeing the returns on their investments the way they expected: 

“The business case isn’t there quite honestly,” said Joe Hamza, chief operating officer for Nouria, during an industry roundtable in August. 

Nouria, which operates over 300 convenience stores in the eastern U.S. under the Nouria and Enmarket banners, has EV chargers at about a quarter of its Nouria sites, Hamza said. Although the retailer has been enthusiastic about its chargers and made sure other sites would have the ability to accommodate chargers later on, the program isn’t profitable, he said, adding that charging has actually decreased from last year.

Joe Sheetz, executive vice chairman of Sheetz, agreed that “the momentum has slowed” with EV charging. The Pennsylvania-based retailer has EV chargers at roughly 20% of its stores, Sheetz said, and recently launched a partnership with Ionna to open “Rechargeries” at 50 of its over 800 locations. 

Sheetz sees a wide divergence in EV charging traffic at its locations Some are constantly busy while others see very little traffic. He said that EV drivers at his c-stores tend to come inside more than drivers with gas-powered vehicles, but they don’t usually buy as much. 

Their concerns are understandable. Convenience stores make profits primarily from in-store sales, and profit margins on gas or DC fast-charging electrons aren’t great. While all of these companies are smart to be prepared for the future, it’s hard to match the charger rollout to actual EV sales—but the day will likely come when they’ll be glad they made these investments.

100%: EV Charging At Gas Stations, Yes Or No?

EV Gas Station

Photo by: Patrick George

Here’s me, “filling up” next to a Rivian and a bunch of gas cars at a C-store a few months ago. I loved this experience. I felt like I was living in the future, and a good one, for a change. (And yes, I went inside and bought stuff.) Is this a model worth investing in, or should EV charging not worry about the gas-car model? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com

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