Building the case for AV safety: A framework for scalable autonomy

For more than a century, GM has engineered vehicles to be safer, more reliable, and more capable. Today, GM is taking significant steps to extend that legacy by launching real-world testing of advanced, AI-basedsystems to ultimately move autonomy from research into our products. Applying the same safety foundation, disciplined engineering, and rigorous validation to every innovation—and backed by global manufacturing scale, systems-integration expertise and deep safety culture—GM is uniquely positioned to safely deliver autonomy that promises to return time to peoples’ days.

Leveraging extensive data from manually driven vehicles running routes across select states and learnings from simulation and closed course testing, GM is now advancing its automated technology into the next phase: supervised testing operations on public roads. This real-world testing generates valuable data that informs our ongoing simulation and closed-course testing, while building confidence in the signals from these important validation tools.

GM uses a safety case approach to guide how it designs, tests, and deploys automated technology. A safety case is a structured, evidence‑based explanation of how a system can operate safely on public roads. We develop safety cases throughout the lifecycle of our technology—from early data collection and supervised testing operations, through supporting our final product.

GM takes testing on public roadways seriously, which is why we’re publishing a new safety report. This explains how our Supervised Test Operation Safety Case supports the safe operation of our supervised test fleet on public roads. What the teams at GM learn from this supervised testing is incorporated into the ongoing system development and informs the company’s Product Safety Case.

GM considers public trust an essential stewardship. As such, GM will continue to share safety information and testing updates with regulators, stakeholders, and the public in an effort to build continued trust. GM’s Supervised Test Operations and Product Safety Cases are living documents that evolve alongside the technology— guiding the transformation of personal mobility at scale and helping to advance safer roadways for everyone.