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Wait. GM Actually wanted Rivian to just give up their own EV plans?

Pherdnut

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jarross

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GM wasted their potential lead through organizational inertia. They thought they were always going to be the big dog, when in reality, they are in decline.
 

Coast2Coast

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GM is doing reasonably well for a legacy auto company but that's the problem - the legacy millstone around its neck. The Bolt has done okay, GM's China sales have been good, and the Hummer and Lyriq may actually sell well.

But it's still a legacy auto firm with old fashioned ways of thinking and acting in a global auto industry that is fast changing.

Nonetheless, I agree. GM misread Rivian and RJ and tried to muscle them into an exclusive arrangement. Ford, to its credit, didn't try to smother the new kid on the block, even if its plans for a Lincoln SUV on a Rivian platform fell through. The Detroit Big 3, now Big 2, need to recognize the auto industry is no longer about bashing metal and bi-annual face lifts.
 

ja_kub_sz

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The deal I'm guessing revolved around Cruise AI from some behind the seems talk I heard. Rivian was interested in access to GM's extensive lidar based maps with Cruise AI, GM felt that access was worth basically all of Rivian.

Who knows... Crusie does have a 20 billion valuation which is larger then Rivian.

That's the biggest hurdle I believe Rivian will have in either partnering with an established AI company or developing some form of autonomous driving tech in house. I truthfully believe they have their work cut out for them with just designing and manufacturing EV's let alone the task of autonomous driving.

That's why Amazon's recent purchase of Zoox is what's most interesting to me. Maybe that's who Rivian will be partnering with in the future for autonomous tech.
 

Coast2Coast

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Amazon has invested in Aurora, in addition to Zoox, so if Amazon can pull it all together - Amazon logistics, Aurora & Zoox autonomous driving and robo delivery - Rivian should benefit big time from its relationship with Amazon.
 

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ja_kub_sz

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Amazon has invested in Aurora, in addition to Zoox, so if Amazon can pull it all together - Amazon logistics, Aurora & Zoox autonomous driving and robo delivery - Rivian should benefit big time from its relationship with Amazon.
That's true and a big part of the partnership. Rivian builds the platforms, Amazon buys the tech for self driving which Rivian will have access to.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Aurora working with FCA, but recently dropped ties with VW who went with Argo (joint venture with Ford)?

AI and autonomous driving is the real white whale everyone is chasing.

I'm not too picky... Honestly I liked Super Cruise a lot and Autopilot is great, but something akin to Super Cruise would be absolutely fine by me.

I just need something to lessen the taxing highway miles I drive.
 
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