---
title: "GM May Partner With Uber On Self-Driving Cars, Report Says"
description: "Where does that leave Lyft?"
date: "2017-10-20"
modified: "2017-10-20"
authors:
  - name: "Stephen Edelstein"
    job_title: "Weekend Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/article/15316/gm-may-partner-with-uber-on-self-driving-cars-report-says"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Autonomous Cars"
  - "General Motors"
  - "Lyft"
  - "ride sharing"
  - "self-driving cars"
  - "Tech"
  - "Uber"
---

# GM May Partner With Uber On Self-Driving Cars, Report Says

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*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Self-driving cars and ride-hailing apps are supposed to make a killer combination that will have a bigger impact than either could individually. That makes alliances between automakers, tech companies, and ride-hailing companies very important.

One of the first of those alliances was between General Motors and Lyft. GM invested $500 million in Lyft last year, and it was thought that GM's Cruise Automation division [would eventually team up with Lyft](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/1497/gm-and-lyfts-ride-share-network-will-be-self-driving>) on autonomous ride-hailing. But GM's relationship with Lyft is fading, and the automaker might partner with Lyft rival Uber instead, according to a report from [*The Information*](<https://www.theinformation.com/gms-cruise-talks-to-uber-as-lyft-relationship-fades>).

The report claims that GM is now meeting with Uber about a possible self-driving car partnership, however, there have been no public statements indicating a change in the status quo of the GM/Lyft partnership, or any discussion of a partnership between GM and Uber. GM and Lyft no longer rely on each other exclusively to advance their respective self-driving car plans.

[Lyft forged a partnership with Waymo](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/10255/lyft-waymo-agree-to-join-forces-on-self-driving-cars>) earlier this year, and yesterday the ride-hailing company confirmed that Waymo parent [Alphabet will lead a $1 billion funding round](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/15291/lyft-confirms-alphabet-investment-as-part-of-1-billion-funding-round>). Lyft also has its own in-house self-driving car development program, and its partnering with startups [NuTonomy](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/11161/nutonomy-and-lyft-joining-forces-on-self-driving-cars>) and [Drive.ai](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14181/lyft-prepping-new-self-driving-ride-sharing-program-for-san-francisco-bay-area>) to launch autonomous ride-hailing pilot programs in Boston and San Francisco.

GM's Cruise Automation division is already testing autonomous Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars on public roads, and is even operating a [small-scale ride-hailing service](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/13340/gms-cruise-automation-running-autonomous-ride-sharing-service-for-employees-in-san-francisco>) for its employees in San Francisco. GM also has Maven, which operates car-sharing services, provides low-cost rental cars to Uber and Lyft drivers, and is even [reportedly considering its own ride-hailing service](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/13565/gms-maven-hints-at-plans-to-challenge-lyft-uber-in-ride-sharing>).

Meanwhile, Uber could use a strong ally. It has a fleet of XC90s from Volvo, but its autonomous-driving program has been bogged down with controversy. Waymo filed [a lawsuit](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14819/key-document-in-uber-vs-waymo-legal-dispute-finally-revealed>) against Uber in February, alleging that the ride-sharing company used data stolen by engineer Anthony Levandowski when he was a Waymo employee. Levandowski became a bigwig in Uber's self-driving car program,

[but was fired](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/10807/uber-fires-anthony-levandowski-for-not-cooperating-in-waymo-lawsuit>) for not cooperating with Uber's legal defense.

## Author
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/SAEdelstein>)