General Motors (GM) plans to offer American consumers a “hands-free driving” function, along with the freedom to watch movies during their journeys. In an event held in New York on Wednesday, the executive team announced a new technological initiative, which includes the introduction of “eyes-off” driving technology by 2028—allowing drivers to not constantly watch the road. GM also stated its intention to introduce conversational artificial intelligence technology in vehicles next year. CEO Mary Barra described a future scenario: “Imagine getting into your car, pressing a button, and it takes you to the office. You can handle work, send emails, or watch an episode of your favorite show. After dropping you off, the car will pick up your dry cleaning, get dinner takeout, and return on time for you to take your kids to soccer.” Although the scenario Barra envisions will take years to fully realize, GM commits to introducing the “eyes-off” driving feature first in its Cadillac Escalade IQ SUV model within three years. Due to policy adjustments under the Trump administration and the cancellation of consumer electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, GM's EV business is expected to face a $1.6 billion loss this year. Despite investing hundreds of billions of dollars into its EV product line, the company has struggled to attract its target consumers. Barra stated, “Consumers want an immersive tech experience in their vehicles, maintaining connectivity wherever they go. We are developing a new path based on our deep brand heritage, design capabilities, engineering expertise, and manufacturing know-how.” While these technologies are new attempts for GM, they are not unprecedented in the industry. Companies like Stellantis, Tesla, and Waymo have already launched road-worthy autonomous vehicles (Stellantis also has conversational AI capabilities in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen). No company has yet achieved widespread commercialization of autonomous vehicles, which gives GM the belief that it still has a chance to seize a leading position in the industry—despite the substantial gap it needs to close. Sterling Anderson, GM's Chief Product Officer, remarked, “After we launch this technology, we will pay attention to market reactions. We have the potential to be the first brand to offer ‘available and safe’ personally owned autonomous vehicles, which is crucial. I don’t see this as ‘catching up,’ but rather as a ‘leapfrogging’ opportunity.”