General Motors has announced that it has hired Aurora co-founder and chief product officer Sterling Anderson as its new chief product officer. Anderson will oversee all of GM’s gas-powered and electric vehicles, covering their entire life cycle, including hardware, software, services, and user experience.
Anderson’s hire comes on the heels of a leadership shake-up at rival Luminar, where founder Austin Russell appears to have been pushed out as CEO and board chair following an ethics inquiry. The news has sent shockwaves through the industry, with multiple sources describing Russell’s departure as “blindsided.”
Anderson had previously stated that he wouldn’t have taken the job if Aurora hadn’t launched its commercial self-driving truck service in Texas first. GM has been working on a new battery chemistry called lithium manganese-rich, which it says will reduce costs while delivering driving range.
The hiring of Anderson marks an exciting development for GM, as it aims to strengthen its product line and compete with other major players in the autonomous vehicle industry. As the company continues to push forward, investors and stakeholders are watching closely to see how this new hire will impact GM’s overall strategy.
In related news, Luminar has been making headlines with its own developments, including the launch of eight autonomous robotaxi pilot operation routes in Guangzhou and the introduction of fully driverless robotaxis in Abu Dhabi. The company has also seen significant interest from investors, with Slate Auto reportedly racking up over 100,000 reservations for its customizable electric pickup truck.
Overall, these recent developments highlight the rapid evolution of the automotive industry, particularly when it comes to autonomous vehicles and electric mobility. As companies continue to innovate and adapt, it’s likely that we’ll see even more exciting announcements in the months to come.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/16/techcrunch-mobility-googles-gemini-is-coming-to-your-car-chaos-comes-for-luminar-and-the-amazonification-of-uber-2-0