GM’s Silicon Valley Makeover Just Got More Complicated
General Motors’ recent efforts to revamp its vehicle software strategy have been disrupted by the departure of Mike Abbott, the former Apple executive who was appointed less than a year ago as the company’s new software czar.
The move comes as a blow to GM, which had brought in leaders from tech giants such as Apple, Amazon, and Meta to infuse a fresh Silicon Valley perspective into its operations, with Abbott at the helm.
GM CEO Mary Barra has placed significant bets on electrification and software, but the automaker has faced challenges in both areas.
Abbott’s departure, attributed to health reasons, has prompted Baris Cetinok, who was recruited by Abbott six months ago as vice president of product, to take over as interim head of software and services while a replacement is sought.
Cetinok emphasized the expertise that Abbott had assembled, comprising both seasoned GM veterans and outside tech executives, which he believes has already established ‘a software and services powerhouse’ within the company.
GM, like the wider auto industry, is grappling with the evolution of vehicles from mere transportation tools to cloud-connected supercomputers on wheels. The emphasis is now on integrating software-controlled features and functions that can be regularly updated over the air, including automated driving tech and customized digital services and entertainment.
To facilitate this shift, Abbott led a reorganization at GM to integrate software and services with hardware, a novel approach for automakers but standard practice in the tech sector. Cetinok, who played a key role in developing products like Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, articulated GM’s new perspective, highlighting the need to view vehicles as a combination of hardware, software, and services, similar to consumer electronics.
GM’s ultimate goal is to provide a seamless user experience across all its vehicles, akin to the consistency found in Apple’s products. However, the complexity and regulatory environment of the auto industry present unique challenges, with the potential consequences of software errors in vehicles being far more severe than in other consumer electronics.
