As the auto industry faces unprecedented disruption, Detroit’s Big Three—General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler—are already vying for the position of the world’s next-generation car leader. The competition between the companies is heating up as the automotive industry accelerates the adoption of electrification and automation technologies.
While all three are actively investing in electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving (AD) technologies, their strategies (and resulting market presence) differ significantly. General Motors leads the charge in EV adoption, unveiling the 2022 Cadillac Lyriq as the first all-electric GM vehicle and actively collaborating with electric utility giant ChargePoint to expand the charging infrastructure needed for millions of electric cars.
Meanwhile, Ford continues to focus heavily on the development of its Mustang Mach E, the company’s first all-electric vehicle, and on AD technology. Ford has made no significant announcements about EV models in the near future, and instead is investing heavily in the development of autonomous vehicles. Ford is also investing $1 billion into Argo AI in order to build self-driving technology that can be applied to the company’s vehicles.
Fiat Chrysler, on the other hand, has teamed up with PSA Group to form the Stellantis brand—the world’s fourth largest automaker. Stellantis has already seen success in the European market and plans to expand its presence in the United States by launching the Jeep Grand Cherokee Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and other hybrid models early this year. Although the company is investing heavily in AD technologies, it currently has only a handful of EVs slated to be released in the near future.
As Detroit’s Big Three compete to dominate the next generation of the car industry, it remains to be seen which vehicle maker will emerge as the leader. It is clear that all three are investing heavily in EVs, AD technology, and other electrification initiatives, but only time will tell which one will successfully rise to the top.