GM 'actively' seeking acquisition opportunities

GM 'actively' seeking acquisition opportunities

DETROIT -- General Motors is "actively" analyzing opportunities to grow its autonomous vehicle operations through acquisitions, top executives said Tuesday.

GM CEO Mary Barra and CFO Chuck Stevens separately said the automaker's recent purchase of lidar firm Strobe Inc. may not be the end of its acquisition plans to bolster self-driving capabilities.

"We have been actively looking at technology opportunities to enhance and speed the development, safely, of autonomous vehicles into the market," Stevens told reporters after the company released third-quarter earnings here at its global headquarters.

He said the acquisition of the Pasadena, Calif., company earlier this month was "a manifestation" of such opportunities. Strobe, according to Barra, will help GM deliver "automotive grade" lidar technology and slash cost of units 99 percent.

"This is fast-moving and we're going to look at what makes the most sense to allow us to go with speed, with safety and to deliver value," said Barra, reaffirming the company is "constantly" evaluating opportunities.

For now, GM's plans do not call for spinning off its mobility operations, according to Stevens. The company's stock consistently hit new highs in recent weeks on Wall Street analyst upgrades and speculation that GM may be open to spinning off the operations , which some have valued as high as $30 billion.

"We believe that to be first at-scale -- safely -- the best approach to that is to continue the approach that we've taken by developing and integrating under one roof with Cruise Automation … and that's the course that we're taking for now," Stevens said.

His comments come a week after GM President Dan Ammann reaffirmed the company's plans to retain the operations.

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