GM plans an OnStar assistant that can operate vehicle controls
General Motors plans to bring an OnStar AI assistant to the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq, letting drivers operate cabin functions and ask about the car by voice. The company is also preparing centralized computing and a gradual expansion of eyes-off driving. Its roadmap separates the nearer-term assistant from the longer-term ambition of vehicles running errands without an occupant.
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OnStar is planned to reach deeper into the car
General Motors plans to introduce its OnStar AI Assistant on the 2027 Cadillac Lyriq through a software update. The company outlined the system at its Forward technology event in New York. Drivers will be able to use voice commands for cabin functions instead of navigating menus. The assistant will work with a new app, and GM says it will have deeper vehicle access than the Gemini voice assistance previously offered in its cars.[1], [2]
The announced tasks include changing the cabin temperature, managing individual climate zones and opening the glove box or charging port. Drivers will also be able to ask about tire pressure and battery condition, or obtain an interpretation of dashboard warnings. Those functions form the nearer-term assistant plan. Sterling Anderson, GM's chief product officer, describes coordinating family pickups according to vehicle location as a longer-term example of what a personal assistant could do.[1], [2]
A central computer is part of the vehicle roadmap
GM also plans a liquid-cooled central computer to replace distributed electronic control units. Production use is scheduled to begin with the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ. The computing platform had already been discussed the previous year. In vehicle development, the company wants to connect design, engineering and manufacturing digitally, aiming to shorten a cycle that currently takes four to five years.[1]
Its PlantBrAIn manufacturing approach will combine live factory data with digital twins, virtual representations of production systems. The work covers stamping, casting, welding, painting and assembly. GM intends to simulate problems before they interrupt production. This factory programme sits alongside the in-car assistant in the company's Forward roadmap, with the development and deployment steps still scheduled ahead.[1]
Eyes-off driving is planned to expand in stages
The company plans to expand eyes-off highway driving to more electric and gasoline vehicles. Its existing Super Cruise feature allows hands-off driving on pre-mapped roads. Anderson describes a gradual progression from some highways to more highways and eventually local roads, without giving a timetable for full autonomy. Unoccupied trips for groceries, dry cleaning or parking remain a more distant ambition. He also acknowledges that inexpensive personal driving robots would probably put more vehicles on roads, raising social and infrastructure questions.[2]
