CNN Tech Article On GM's Self-Driving Ambitions

[kort677]

Keep in mind that this was published during the week of October 30, 2009.

it appears to have been accurate at the time it was published, things have evolved and 7+ years later it is out of date. you can find an article about almost any innovation and find articles printed early on in their life cycles that would also appear inaccurate years after the product's introduction.
are you still using 4.5 inch floppy disks? punch cards?

 

[EinSV]

That did not work out so well for Toyota (a similar sized company as GM in 2003). Only 328 cars were sold. Most came back from leases and were crushed.

This is what Wikipedia says about the first generation Toyota RAV-4 EV program, which is what you seem to be referring to:

Chevron Patent EncumbranceEdit
Main article: Patent encumbrance of large automotive NiMH batteries
Whether or not Toyota wanted to continue production, it was unlikely to be able to do so because the EV-95 battery was no longer available. Chevron had inherited control of the worldwide patent rights for the NiMH EV-95 battery when it merged with Texaco, which had purchased them from General Motors. Chevron's unit won a US$30,000,000 settlement from Toyota and Panasonic, and the production line for the large NiMH batteries was closed down and dismantled. This case was settled in the ICC International Court of Arbitration, and not publicised due to a gag orderplaced on all parties involved.[19][20] Only smaller NiMH batteries, incapable of powering an electric vehicle or plugging in, were allowed by Chevron-Texaco.[21]

 

[GOTMEEV]

it appears to have been accurate at the time it was published, things have evolved and 7+ years later it is out of date. you can find an article about almost any innovation and find articles printed early on in their life cycles that would also appear inaccurate years after the product's introduction.
are you still using 4.5 inch floppy disks? punch cards?

Indeed! That last paragraph seems very prescient based on the date of the publication.

 

[McRat]

This is what Wikipedia says about the first generation Toyota RAV-4 EV program, which is what you seem to be referring to:

Chevron Patent EncumbranceEdit
Main article: Patent encumbrance of large automotive NiMH batteries
Whether or not Toyota wanted to continue production, it was unlikely to be able to do so because the EV-95 battery was no longer available. Chevron had inherited control of the worldwide patent rights for the NiMH EV-95 battery when it merged with Texaco, which had purchased them from General Motors. Chevron's unit won a US$30,000,000 settlement from Toyota and Panasonic, and the production line for the large NiMH batteries was closed down and dismantled. This case was settled in the ICC International Court of Arbitration, and not publicised due to a gag orderplaced on all parties involved.[19][20] Only smaller NiMH batteries, incapable of powering an electric vehicle or plugging in, were allowed by Chevron-Texaco.[21]

That did not apply to Lithium batteries which is what the Roadster used. Toyota had access to the same batteries, but was not in the business of selling $120k cars at the time.