GM’s New Product Chief Sterling Anderson Champions Technology Renaissance at the Automaker
Detroit, December 4, 2025 — General Motors (GM) is embracing a fresh technological dawn under the leadership of its newly appointed executive vice president and chief product officer, Sterling Anderson. Since his arrival in June 2025, Anderson has swiftly consolidated key parts of GM’s product and technology operations, signaling a significant shift in the century-old automaker’s approach to innovation and software.
Unifying Hardware and Software to Accelerate Innovation
Since joining GM from Aurora Innovation, the self-driving startup he co-founded, Anderson has taken an ambitious approach. He now oversees the “end-to-end product lifecycle” — a broad remit that includes vehicle manufacturing, engineering, battery technology, and critically, software and services product management. This integration is designed to treat hardware and software development as a seamless process rather than siloed units.
Speaking with CNBC at the company’s “GM Forward” technology event in New York City on October 22, Anderson emphasized that his priority is to speed up innovation through the abstraction of software from hardware. "The point of the role… is it brings together all of these pieces into a unified approach to how we do product going forward," he explained.
Leadership Restructuring Reflects Strategic Refocus
In recent months, Anderson’s consolidation of power has been highlighted by unexpected leadership changes within GM’s software and artificial intelligence (AI) divisions. Longtime Senior Vice President of Software and Services Engineering Dave Richardson and AI Head Barak Turovsky both exited the company after relatively brief tenures. GM attributed these departures to company restructuring aimed at integrating AI capabilities directly into product and business organizations for faster and more targeted innovation.
In addition, Senior Vice President of Software and Services Product Management Baris Cetinok will depart GM in December to pursue other opportunities. Unlike the others, Cetinok’s exit was not linked to restructuring efforts.
Transforming GM’s Image from "Old-World" to Innovative Canvas
Anderson, who previously held executive roles at Tesla and began his career as a consultant at McKinsey & Co., admitted he initially viewed GM as a rigid corporate "caricature." However, under the guidance of GM CEO Mary Barra and President Mark Reuss, his perspective shifted. "I was really worried about it… I found it quite different from what I’d expected," said Anderson, describing the culture more collaborative and open to innovation than anticipated.
His appointment reflects the automaker’s larger strategy to focus on software-defined vehicles and autonomy, representing a major pivot from GM’s past reliance on traditional automotive engineering.
A Renewed Commitment to Autonomous Driving
One of Anderson’s standout objectives is to lead GM into the realm of safe, fully autonomous vehicles. This builds on the automaker’s historical investments in autonomous technology, despite GM’s 2024 decision to disband its majority-owned Cruise AV robotaxi business. Anderson remains steadfast in the vision of producing a "self-driving product that can be safe without any handbacks to the human in safety-critical situations."
At The New York Times DealBook Summit in early December, CEO Mary Barra reaffirmed GM’s ambition to launch autonomous highway driving capabilities starting in 2028. “As we talk about artificial intelligence, autonomous driving is one of the ultimate applications that I still strongly believe in,” Barra stated, underscoring the company’s focus on personal autonomous vehicles, not just shared robotaxis.
Industry Perspectives and Challenges Ahead
Despite Anderson’s promising start and the recruitment of several high-profile tech executives from Silicon Valley—including those with backgrounds at Tesla, Apple, and Google—the integration of software and electronics technology within traditional automakers remains challenging. Numerous talented executives have experienced brief tenures at GM, underscoring the cultural and operational hurdles that come with transforming a legacy manufacturer.
Peter Abowd, a former engineer and current automotive technology consultant, noted, "[Traditional U.S. automakers] have very much had a significant struggle with understanding software and electronics technology, and that has caused them to have a parade of experts quote ‘coming in to help.’"
Looking Forward
GM’s leadership lauds Anderson’s deep expertise in robotics and autonomy—he holds a Ph.D. in robotics from MIT and led landmark projects such as Tesla’s Model X program and the Autopilot driver-assistance system prior to founding Aurora. Anderson’s vision of a unified product and software approach could mark the start of a transformative era for GM as it seeks to modernize its portfolio and compete in the epoch of connected, software-driven vehicles.
As Anderson himself put it, his first months in the role were spent "in a listen mode," getting grounded in GM’s operations and preparing to "fine-tune and target" the company’s future innovation strategy. With his leadership, GM aims to evolve from its legacy image into a cutting-edge technology powerhouse.
Author: Michael Wayland
Published December 4, 2025, 7:00 AM EST
Updated December 4, 2025, 2:34 PM EST
Source: CNBC
