General Motors
General Motors is one of the largest automakers in the world, manufacturing vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac brands. The company also operates OnStar connected vehicle services and the Super Cruise driver assistance system, serving millions of vehicle owners across North America and globally.
Score generated by AI agents based on publicly cited evidence and reviewed by the project maintainer. Not independently validated. Last assessed 2026-10-01. Score revised 2026-10-01: 54 → 53.
Score History
Timeline events are AI-curated from public reporting. Score trajectory is derived from documented events.
GM returned to the stock market with a record IPO after its 2009 bankruptcy and federal rescue. Government ownership limited payouts to shareholders, and OnStar briefly tried to keep tracking cars after cancellation before reversing. Underneath, the ignition-switch defect was still being concealed, and dealers pushed back on costly facility-upgrade mandates.
Weeks after Mary Barra became CEO, GM began recalling cars for an ignition defect it had known about for a decade. The Valukas report led to 15 people being forced out, and GM paid a record $35 million NHTSA fine and a $900 million criminal forfeiture. Activist pressure in 2015 then produced the first large buyback program.
GM launched OnStar Smart Driver, began collecting detailed driving-behavior data, and bought Cruise for more than $1 billion. Buybacks continued while GM fought a Takata airbag recall order and the SEC charged it over accounting controls tied to the ignition switch. Dealers were pressed to favor GM parts and service contracts.
GM announced five plant closures and 14,000 job cuts, provoking a 40-day UAW strike in 2019. It joined the federal suit against California's emissions authority, was the top funder against Massachusetts's right-to-repair ballot question, and lost its four-year fight against a Takata recall. From 2020 it began selling OnStar driving data to Verisk and LexisNexis.
GM told investors it would build $20-25 billion a year in software and services revenue, then made a $1,500 OnStar package mandatory on some brands and dropped CarPlay from future EVs. Covert data sales to insurer-facing brokers peaked, Cruise filed a misleading report after dragging a pedestrian, and a $10 billion buyback followed the 2023 UAW settlement.
The New York Times exposed GM's sale of driving data, and GM ended Smart Driver weeks later. Since then the FTC, California and four other states have acted against it, Cruise was shut down after about $10 billion of spending, and GM has kept buying back stock through EV write-downs and layoffs while lobbying at record levels and phasing out phone projection.
Alternatives
Consistently top-ranked for reliability and long-term ownership cost — the Camry, RAV4, and Tacoma compete directly with GM's mainstream lineup and consistently outperform on reliability surveys. Hard switch if you're brand-loyal to Chevy or GMC trucks, but the reliability gap is well-documented across 10+ years of Consumer Reports and JD Power data.
Korean automaker with much-improved reliability and a longer powertrain warranty: Hyundai covers 10 years/100,000 miles, while most GM models get 5 years/60,000 miles. Hyundai and Kia compete across nearly every segment GM occupies, such as Tucson/Santa Fe vs. Equinox/Blazer. Hard switch for truck buyers (Hyundai doesn't make a full-size pickup), easy switch for car and SUV segments.
Dimensional Breakdown
Summaries below were written by AI agents based on the cited evidence. They are editorial interpretations, not independent research findings.
Dimension History
Timeline (75 events)
GM Hires Detectives to Discredit Ralph Nader Over Corvair Safety
After Ralph Nader's 'Unsafe at Any Speed' criticized the Chevrolet Corvair's dangerous swing-axle suspension design, GM hired private investigators to dig up personal dirt on Nader, including tapping his phone and sending women to attempt to seduce him. GM publicly apologized before Congress and paid Nader $425,000 in a privacy settlement. The controversy, and the book, helped spur passage of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, whose safety programs NHTSA took over when it was created in 1970.
GM Dealer Franchise Laws Block Direct Sales Competition
State dealer franchise laws, enacted when GM, Ford, and Chrysler dominated the U.S. market, prohibit manufacturers in many states from selling vehicles directly to consumers or operating their own showrooms. These laws became a major barrier for Tesla after it began selling cars in 2012, with the dealers' lobby -- often with the support of the legacy car companies -- invoking or extending them to block Tesla's direct-sales model state by state.
GM Crushes Remaining EV1 Electric Cars Despite Lessee Protests
After the EV1's three-year leases expired in the early 2000s, GM reclaimed nearly all of the roughly 1,000 EV1s it built (produced 1996-1999, lease-only) and crushed most of them, despite vigils by drivers and supporters; the 2006 documentary 'Who Killed the Electric Car?' brought the episode to wide attention. GM said a lack of replacement parts made the cars unsafe and that few wait-listed customers were willing to lease one.
Big Three CEOs Fly Private Jets to Congressional Bailout Hearing
GM CEO Rick Wagoner, along with Ford and Chrysler CEOs, flew private jets to Washington to request $25 billion in taxpayer bailout funds, drawing widespread public outrage. The optics of executives requesting emergency funds while traveling in luxury became a symbol of governance failure. Wagoner's total compensation had been $14.4 million in 2007 while GM lost $38.7 billion.
GM Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 1, 2009, after receiving $19.4 billion in federal aid. The government put in another $30 billion and took a 60% ownership stake. GM emerged about 40 days later (July 10, 2009) as General Motors Company, shedding the Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer, and Saab brands, closing more than 10 plants, and cutting more than 20,000 jobs.
GM Returns to Public Markets with Record $20.1B IPO
General Motors raised $20.1 billion in the largest IPO in history at $33 per share. The offering allowed the U.S. government to begin divesting its 60% ownership stake. GM regained its title as the world's largest automaker the following year.
OnStar Reverses Plan to Keep Tracking Cars After Cancellation
OnStar told customers that, effective December 1, 2011, data from their vehicles would keep flowing to OnStar after they cancelled service unless they asked for it to be shut off. After a public outcry and letters from Senator Charles Schumer, who called the change 'brazen' and asked the FTC to investigate, OnStar reversed the policy on September 27, 2011. The incident previewed the data collection controversies that would escalate over the following decade.
GM Dealers Push Back on Costly Essential Brand Elements Facility Upgrades
GM's Essential Brand Elements program, launched in summer 2010, required dealers to renovate facilities to new image standards, with upgrade costs running into millions of dollars. After sustained dealer pushback over the cost and lack of return, GM began issuing two-year extensions to upgrade deadlines in late 2011.
UAW Accepts No-Strike Clause and Wage Freezes in 2011 Contract
The 2011 UAW contract with GM contained no base wage increases for legacy workers, eliminated job security programs, and maintained a no-strike provision mandated by the government during the bailout. Workers hired after 2007 received modest increases, but the two-tier wage system -- with new hires earning roughly half of veteran pay -- became a persistent source of tension.
Government Watchdog Flags GM Bailout Executive Pay as Excessive
A January 2013 report by the TARP special inspector general found that Treasury's pay czar approved compensation above program guidelines for top executives at bailed-out GM, Ally, and AIG; GM CEO Dan Akerson received $1.7 million in cash in 2012 plus $7.3 million in stock. GM complained that the pay limits made hiring difficult, and the restrictions lapsed once Treasury sold its remaining GM shares in December 2013.
GM CEO Akerson Pay Jumps 44% to $11.1M While Profits Fall
GM boosted CEO Dan Akerson's compensation 44% to $11.1 million in 2012, driven by higher stock awards, even as the company's earnings fell $2.7 billion from the prior year due to $1.7 billion in European losses. The government's pay restrictions were set to expire when Treasury divested its remaining GM shares.
GM Spends $18 Million Lobbying Federal Government Post-Bailout
Despite receiving $49.5 billion in taxpayer bailout funds, GM continued spending heavily on federal lobbying, with about $18.1 million in 2009-2010 ($8.4 million and $9.7 million). The company lobbied on fuel economy standards, safety regulations, and trade policy while the government still held a significant ownership stake. GM also benefited from state dealer franchise laws that blocked Tesla's direct-sales model.
Auto Industry MOU on Diagnostic Data Leaves Independent Shops Limited
The January 2014 Light Duty Memorandum of Understanding between automaker alliances (including the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, of which GM was a member) and aftermarket groups committed manufacturers, on a voluntary basis, to give independent shops access to the same diagnostic and repair information available to dealers for 2002 and newer vehicles, with standardized vehicle-interface access from the 2018 model year. Full OE-level diagnostics still required paid access to manufacturer information and tools.
Mary Barra Becomes GM CEO
Mary Barra, a 33-year GM veteran and head of global product development, succeeded Dan Akerson as chief executive on January 15, 2014, becoming the first woman to lead a major U.S. automaker. Her appointment was announced one day after the federal government sold its last GM shares.
GM Begins Ignition Switch Recall After Decade of Concealment
GM recalled 800,000 small cars for faulty ignition switches that could shut off engines mid-driving and disable airbags, linked to at least 124 deaths. GM engineers knew of the defect since 2005 but decided not to fix it due to cost. The recall eventually expanded to nearly 30 million vehicles worldwide.
NHTSA Fines GM Record $35 Million for Recall Reporting Delay
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration imposed a then-record $35 million civil penalty on GM for its decade-long delay in reporting the ignition switch defect. The fine was the maximum allowed under federal law at the time.
Valukas Report Leads GM to Force Out 15 Over Ignition Switch
An internal investigation by former U.S. Attorney Anton Valukas found that committee after committee at GM had failed to act on the ignition-switch defect, describing a culture of silos and the 'GM nod.' Barra said 15 employees, more than half of them senior legal and engineering staff, were forced out and five others disciplined.
GM Redesigns OnStar RemoteLink App Tied to OnStar Plans
GM released a redesigned version of its OnStar RemoteLink mobile app, which lets owners remotely start their vehicles, lock and unlock doors, locate the vehicle, and check diagnostics such as tire pressure. RemoteLink requires an active OnStar plan (the free Basic Plan or a paid subscription), and features such as the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot require a paid plan, tying remote access to hardware already in the car to GM's OnStar account system.
GM Launches $5 Billion Stock Buyback Under Activist Pressure
GM announced a $5 billion share buyback in March 2015 as part of a deal with a hedge-fund group led by Harry Wilson, a former member of the Obama auto task force, that averted a proxy fight. The group, holding 1.9% of GM, had demanded an $8 billion buyback; Wilson dropped his bid for a board seat after GM committed to return more cash to shareholders.
GM Agrees to $900 Million Forfeiture in Ignition Switch DPA
GM entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, agreeing to forfeit $900 million for engaging in a scheme to conceal the deadly ignition switch defect from NHTSA and committing wire fraud. A federal monitor was appointed to oversee GM's compliance.
OnStar Smart Driver Program Begins Collecting Driving Data
GM launched the OnStar Smart Driver program, which provided drivers with feedback on driving behaviors including hard braking, acceleration, and speed. Unbeknownst to most participants, GM began sharing this behavioral data with LexisNexis and Verisk, who sold it to insurance companies to set rates.
GM Acquires Cruise Automation for Self-Driving Technology
GM acquired Cruise Automation, a San Francisco-based self-driving technology startup, for approximately $1 billion. This marked GM's entry into autonomous vehicle development, which would eventually consume more than $10 billion before its shutdown in 2024.
SEC Charges GM with Accounting Control Failures Over Ignition Switch
The SEC charged GM with deficient internal accounting controls that prevented proper assessment of the ignition switch defect's financial impact. GM's internal investigation wasn't brought to accountants until November 2013, despite engineers knowing of the safety issue since spring 2012. GM paid a $1 million penalty.
GM Faces Complaints Over Chevrolet Cruze and Equinox Quality Issues
The Chevrolet Cruze and Equinox, GM's high-volume compact models, accumulated safety recalls in the mid-2010s, including a 2015 steering tie-rod recall and a 2016 seat-belt bolt recall on the Cruze and a recall of 681,509 2014-2015 Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs for windshield wiper failures. GM ended U.S. sales of the Cruze after the 2019 model year.
GM Bulletins Pressure Dealers Against Non-GM Parts and Service Contracts
GM issued dealer bulletins 17-12 and 17-13 on August 10, 2017, requiring a mandated disclosure form warning customers that non-GM parts and accessories may damage vehicles or compromise safety, and threatening a $500 penalty per non-disclosure. State dealer associations called the bulletins anti-competitive, saying they went beyond the franchise agreement to push dealers toward GM parts and GM service contracts.
OnStar Reaches 7 Million Subscribers as Connected Vehicle Fleet Expands
OnStar surpassed 7 million global subscribers, with GM embedding connected telematics hardware in an expanding share of new vehicles. The growing connected fleet enabled broader data collection through Smart Driver and other telemetry services, while subscription-dependent features like remote start and navigation increased switching costs for vehicle owners.
GM Lobbies Against Fuel Efficiency Standards Rollback Debate
GM engaged in significant federal lobbying as the Trump administration proposed rolling back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. GM spent approximately $8 million on federal lobbying in 2018, advocating on trade, emissions, and safety regulation while benefiting from state franchise laws that blocked Tesla's direct-sales model in multiple states.
GM Announces Closure of Five Plants and 14,000 Job Cuts
CEO Mary Barra announced GM would idle five plants in the U.S. and Canada -- Lordstown Assembly in Ohio, Detroit-Hamtramck, Warren Transmission, Oshawa Assembly in Ontario, and Baltimore Operations -- and cut 14,000 jobs to save $6 billion. GM's North American capacity utilization was just 73%, among the worst in the industry.
48,000 UAW Workers Strike GM for 40 Days
The United Auto Workers launched a 40-day strike against General Motors involving 48,000 workers at approximately 50 plants. The strike cost GM an estimated $3.8-4 billion and economists warned it could push Michigan into recession. Workers won a faster path to top pay (four years instead of eight) and $75,000-85,000 assistance packages for displaced workers.
GM Joins Trump Administration Suit Against California Emissions Standards
General Motors intervened in a lawsuit siding with the Trump administration against California's authority to set its own emissions standards. This positioned GM against stricter environmental regulation and aligned it with efforts to weaken federal fuel efficiency requirements. GM withdrew from the suit in November 2020 after the presidential election.
GM Begins Selling OnStar Driving Data to Verisk and LexisNexis
According to California's 2026 complaint, from 2020 to 2024 GM sold names, contact information, geolocation and driving-behavior data collected through OnStar to the data brokers Verisk and LexisNexis, which bought it to build driver-rating products for auto insurers. GM reportedly made about $20 million nationwide from the sales.
GM Suspends Dividends and Buybacks During COVID-19 Pandemic
GM suspended its dividend payment and stock buyback programs to conserve cash during the pandemic. This pause in shareholder returns was temporary, with the company later resuming and significantly expanding buyback programs once profitability recovered.
GM Donates $5.1 Million to Fight Massachusetts Right-to-Repair Ballot
GM was the single largest donor to the Coalition for Safe and Secure Data, contributing $5.1 million of the $26.6 million raised to oppose Massachusetts Question 1, which required automakers to provide independent repair shops access to telematics data. Voters passed the measure with 75% support despite industry opposition.
Super Cruise Subscription Pricing Announced
GM announced subscription pricing for its Super Cruise hands-free driving system at $25 per month standalone or $15 per month bundled with OnStar plans. The system comes with a three-year prepaid period on new vehicles, after which owners must pay to retain the functionality of hardware already installed in their vehicles.
NHTSA Rejects GM Petition, Orders Recall of 5.9 Million Takata Airbags
NHTSA rejected GM's four-year-old petition to avoid recalling Takata airbag inflators in 2007-2014 full-size pickups and SUVs, ordering a recall of 5.9 million vehicles. GM had argued the risk was inconsequential and estimated the replacement would cost $1.2 billion.
GM Expands Chevy Bolt Fire Recall to Every Bolt Built
GM expanded its Chevrolet Bolt EV battery-fire recall to all model years, adding about 73,000 vehicles and bringing the expected cost to $1.8 billion to replace potentially defective battery modules.
GM Announces $25 Billion Subscription Revenue Target by 2030
GM said its in-car subscription services would generate nearly $2 billion in revenue in 2021 and $20-25 billion in additional annual revenue by 2030, putting it in the same league as Netflix, Peloton, and Spotify. GM said its research showed customers would spend about $135 per month on average for products and services, signaling a shift from one-time vehicle sales to recurring post-purchase monetization.
GM Warns Dealers Against Markups and Excess Deposits on New Launches
GM North America president Steve Carlisle warned dealers in a January 2022 letter that some had asked customers for reservation deposits beyond GM's rules or for 'exorbitant' markups over MSRP amid the chip shortage, ahead of launches like the Corvette Z06, Silverado EV, and Cadillac Lyriq. GM threatened to redirect allocation from dealers engaged in unethical sales practices; under state franchise laws, dealers rather than GM set transaction prices.
GM Plans 50 In-Vehicle Digital Services by 2026
GM North America President Steve Carlisle said GM would roll out roughly 50 new in-vehicle digital products and services over the following three to four years through its Ultifi software platform, many of them subscription-based. GM had said in October 2021 that its research showed customers willing to spend an average of $135 per month on vehicle products and services.
GM Makes $1,500 OnStar Subscription Mandatory with No Opt-Out
GM began requiring a $1,500 three-year OnStar subscription on all new Buick, GMC, and Cadillac Escalade models, with no option to remove it. CNN Business confirmed the checkbox could not be deselected on Cadillac.com. The mandatory add-on increased vehicle prices by $905 to $1,675 depending on brand. GM reversed the policy for most 2024 models after consumer backlash.
GM Cuts 500 Executive Jobs and Launches $2 Billion Cost Reduction
After reporting record $14.5 billion pre-tax earnings in 2022, GM cut approximately 500 executive-level and salaried jobs -- one month after CEO Mary Barra said GM was 'not planning layoffs.' The cuts were part of a $2 billion cost-savings target, with 5,000 salaried employees taking buyout packages by April 2023.
GM to Phase Out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in EVs
GM said it would drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from future EVs, starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, in favor of Google-based built-in infotainment with eight years of included Google services. A GM digital executive acknowledged 'subscription revenue opportunities' in the shift.
Mozilla Rates GM Privacy Practices 'Pretty Awful'
Mozilla's Privacy Not Included review of GMC (covering General Motors' connected services) summed up GM's privacy record as 'pretty awful,' noting GM's privacy policies disclose that it can collect data including race, sexual orientation, and genetic information, and that Mozilla could not determine whether data on the car and in transit is encrypted. All 25 car brands Mozilla reviewed failed its privacy assessment.
UAW Launches Historic Trilateral Strike Against Big Three
The UAW launched the first simultaneous strike against all three Detroit automakers, including GM, using a 'Stand Up Strike' strategy that targeted select plants. On October 30, GM reached a deal providing 25%+ wage increases, with the contract estimated to cost GM $9.3 billion through 2028 ($500-575 per vehicle).
OTA Updates Incapacitate 4,000 GM Vehicles
Approximately 4,000 vehicles across GM's Global B platform -- including Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, and Cadillac Lyriq models -- were left incapacitated after failed over-the-air software updates during summer 2023. GM subsequently revamped its OTA update procedures, but the incident highlighted risks of remote vehicle software control with limited transparency.
Cruise Robotaxi Drags Pedestrian 20 Feet in San Francisco
A Cruise autonomous vehicle struck a pedestrian who had been thrown into its path by a hit-and-run driver, then dragged the woman approximately 20 feet while attempting to pull over. Cruise initially omitted the dragging from its NHTSA report, leading to criminal charges. The California DMV suspended Cruise's permit on October 24, and Cruise halted all robotaxi operations nationwide.
Google Built-In Features Disabled Without Paid OnStar Subscription
GM's integration of Google Built-In created a new lock-in mechanism: on gas vehicles without an OnStar subscription, built-in Google Maps, Google Assistant, and in-vehicle apps are unavailable, leaving only radio, Bluetooth, and phone projection. OnStar plans at the time cost $29.99-$49.99 a month. GM's EVs, starting with the Blazer EV, include Google Maps and Google Assistant for eight years at no extra cost, and from the 2025 model year GM made navigation and voice assistance standard for eight years on all new vehicles.
GM Announces $10 Billion Stock Buyback After UAW Deal
A month after settling the UAW strike with a contract worth $9.3 billion in worker raises, GM announced a $10 billion accelerated share repurchase -- equal to approximately 25% of outstanding shares. Critics noted the buyback exceeded the total cost of the UAW wage increases, raising questions about capital allocation priorities.
NYT Exposes GM's Secret Selling of Driver Data to Insurance Firms
The New York Times reported on March 11, 2024 that GM had been sharing OnStar Smart Driver data with LexisNexis and Verisk, who created driving scores sold to insurance companies. About 8 million OnStar customers were enrolled in Smart Driver. One driver profiled, Kenn Dahl, saw his Chevrolet Bolt's insurance cost rise 21% after his driving data was shared without his knowledge. Some drivers were enrolled without opting in, and GM sales training materials showed salespeople could earn bonuses for OnStar sign-ups.
GM Discontinues OnStar Smart Driver Program
Following the exposure of its data-selling practices, GM announced the full discontinuation of the OnStar Smart Driver program and terminated partnerships with LexisNexis and Verisk. The company cited 'customer feedback,' though the decision came amid mounting regulatory scrutiny and class-action lawsuits.
GM Pays $145.8 Million Penalty Over Excess Emissions and Fuel Economy
After a multi-year investigation found 2012-2018 GM vehicles emitted more than 10% more CO2 on average than its compliance reports claimed, GM agreed to forfeit about 50 million metric tons of EPA greenhouse-gas credits, pay a $145.8 million NHTSA fuel-economy penalty and cancel more than 30.6 million fuel-economy credits. GM said it had complied with all applicable rules.
Texas AG Sues GM for Unlawfully Collecting Data from 14 Million Vehicles
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued GM for collecting and selling driving data from 14 million vehicles and selling data on 1.8 million Texas drivers without consent. The suit alleged GM used a deceptive enrollment process for OnStar Smart Driver, telling customers that failure to enroll would deactivate safety features.
Cruise Pays $500K Criminal Fine and $1.5M NHTSA Penalty for False Reports
GM's Cruise division admitted to submitting a false report to NHTSA regarding the October 2023 pedestrian dragging incident. Cruise paid a $500,000 criminal fine for filing false documents to obstruct the investigation and a separate $1.5 million NHTSA penalty for failing to fully report autonomous vehicle crashes.
GM Lays Off 1,000 Salaried Employees in November Reorganization
GM cut approximately 1,000 salaried employees as part of an ongoing reorganization, following a separate layoff of 1,000 software employees in August 2024. The cuts came while GM reported record profits and was spending billions on stock buybacks.
GM Shuts Down Cruise Robotaxi Unit After $10 Billion Spend
GM announced it would stop funding the Cruise robotaxi unit and pivot to integrating autonomous technology into personal vehicles via Super Cruise. The $10+ billion investment produced less than $500 million in revenue. GM expected the restructuring to cut spending by more than $1 billion a year; in February 2025 Cruise laid off nearly half of its roughly 2,100 staff.
Bipartisan Senators Criticize GM's Right-to-Repair Opposition
U.S. Senators Warren, Hawley, and Merkley sent letters to GM and other automakers criticizing their opposition to right-to-repair legislation as hypocritical, noting the contradiction between blocking repair shop access to data on safety grounds while simultaneously selling the same data to insurance companies without consent.
FTC Takes Action Against GM for Unauthorized Data Collection and Sales
The FTC filed a complaint against GM and OnStar alleging they used a misleading enrollment process to collect geolocation and driving behavior data from millions of vehicles and sold it to consumer reporting agencies without consent. The proposed order banned GM from sharing certain consumer data for five years and required affirmative consent for 20 years.
GM Authorizes New $6 Billion Buyback and 25% Dividend Increase
GM's board approved a $6 billion share buyback with a $2 billion accelerated share repurchase and raised the quarterly dividend 25% to $0.15 per share. This came alongside continued workforce reductions, with hundreds of additional salaried workers laid off in 2025 and about 1,140 Factory Zero workers facing permanent layoff later in the year.
Arkansas AG Sues GM and OnStar Over Driving Data Sales
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin sued GM and OnStar for deceptive trade practices, alleging they sold driving data from more than 100,000 Arkansans to brokers that fed it to insurers. The complaint alleges dealership salespeople got financial incentives for OnStar sign-ups and routinely created accounts before telling customers about the plan.
GM Recalls 597,630 Trucks and SUVs for V8 Engine Failures
GM recalled 597,630 full-size trucks and SUVs including Silverado, Sierra, Suburban, Tahoe, and Escalade models for connecting rod and crankshaft defects that could cause V8 engine failure. NHTSA later questioned the adequacy of GM's recall fix after owners reported continued engine failures.
GM Supports Transportation Freedom Act to Weaken Emissions Rules
GM endorsed the Transportation Freedom Act, which would repeal existing federal light-duty greenhouse gas emissions standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. GM asked its employees to advocate for nullifying the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks rules, reversing GM's earlier support for stricter emissions targets.
Nebraska AG Sues GM and OnStar Over Driver Data
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers sued GM and OnStar, alleging they sold Nebraskans' driving data without consent and used 'deceptive, unconscionable and unlawful tactics,' including misleading disclosures, to enroll buyers in OnStar data collection.
GM Raises Destination Charges by Up to $600 for 2026 Models
GM raised destination freight charges across its U.S. lineup, citing inflation and tariffs: the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 went from $1,995 to $2,595. By December 2025 Chevrolet and GMC trucks and the Tahoe carried a $2,795 charge, which dealers do not negotiate.
Barra Says GM Will Drop CarPlay and Android Auto From All Vehicles
CEO Mary Barra said on The Verge's Decoder podcast that GM will remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its gas-powered vehicles as well as its EVs, model by model as they are redesigned, leaving owners with GM's Android Automotive-based system and its app store.
GM Cuts More Than 3,400 EV and Battery Jobs
GM confirmed it was cutting more than 3,400 jobs at EV and battery plants, including about 1,200 at Factory Zero and 550 at Ultium Cells in Warren, Ohio, plus temporary layoffs during production pauses in Ohio and Tennessee. The cuts followed 500 tech job eliminations and a $1.6 billion EV impairment charge that month.
FTC Finalizes 20-Year Data Collection Order Against GM
The FTC finalized its order against GM and OnStar, imposing a five-year ban on disclosing consumers' geolocation and driver behavior data to consumer reporting agencies and requiring affirmative express consent for data collection for 20 years. The order settled allegations that GM collected and sold data from millions of connected vehicles without adequate notice or consent.
GM Approves New $6 Billion Buyback and 20% Dividend Increase
Reporting fourth-quarter results that included more than $7.2 billion of special charges, mostly for EV capacity, GM raised its quarterly dividend 20% to $0.18 and approved a new $6.0 billion share repurchase authorization. Its share count had fallen to 904 million at the end of 2025, from 995 million a year earlier and 1.2 billion at the end of 2023.
GM Ends Third Shift at Oshawa Silverado Plant
GM eliminated the overnight shift at its Oshawa, Ontario, Silverado plant, laying off about 500 hourly workers, as light-duty truck output moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Unifor blamed U.S. tariffs; about 1,700 jobs were affected including suppliers.
Iowa AG Sues GM Over OnStar Data Collection and Sales
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sued GM and OnStar for unlawfully collecting and selling Iowans' driving data, including speed, seatbelt usage, driving habits, and location, since 2015. The suit alleged GM sold the data to third-party brokers who provided it to insurance companies that used it to raise rates, deny coverage, or cancel policies.
GM Posts Record Quarterly Lobbying Spend
GM reported nearly $11.4 million in federal lobbying for the first quarter of 2026, its most ever in a quarter, after spending about $20 million in 2025. Its 2025 lobbying supported the Transportation Freedom Act and helped overturn emissions and fuel-economy rules GM had earlier backed.
Court Lets Core Claims Proceed in OnStar Data MDL
In a 200-plus page order, Judge Thomas Thrash of the Northern District of Georgia largely denied GM's and OnStar's motions to dismiss federal Wiretap Act and Stored Communications Act claims in MDL 3115, along with unjust enrichment and parts of the privacy, conspiracy and Fair Credit Reporting Act claims.
California Secures $12.75 Million CCPA Settlement From GM
California's Attorney General, four district attorneys and the California Privacy Protection Agency announced a $12.75 million settlement, the largest CCPA penalty to date, over GM's sale of hundreds of thousands of Californians' location and driving data to Verisk and LexisNexis. The settlement, subject to court approval, bans sales of such data to data brokers and restricts GM's use of driving data.
GM Lays Off 500-600 IT Workers
GM said it was eliminating at least 500 to 600 roles in its global information technology organization, centered in Austin, Texas, and Warren, Michigan, as part of a restructuring.
GM Expects OnStar Revenue Above $3 Billion
GM expects OnStar to bring in more than $3 billion in 2026 after recognizing about $800 million in the second quarter, with deferred OnStar revenue near $6.3 billion. Super Cruise, which requires a paid plan after a three-year included period, is expected to pass 850,000 paid subscribers, with 30-40% of owners paying after the included period.
NHTSA Opens Engineering Analysis on Nearly 1 Million GM V8s After Recall Fix Fails
NHTSA opened Engineering Analysis EA26005 covering 997,743 2021-2026 model-year GM vehicles with the 6.2L L87 V8, citing 499 engine failures after the 2025 recall remedy and 191 more in engines built after the recall's production window.
Evidence (64 citations)
D1: User Value Erosion
D2: Business Customer Exploitation
D3: Shareholder Extraction
D4: Lock-in & Switching Costs
D5: Twiddling & Algorithmic Opacity
D6: Dark Patterns
D7: Advertising & Monetization Pressure
D8: Competitive Conduct
D9: Labor & Governance
D10: Regulatory & Legal Posture
Scoring Log (6 entries)
Checked 107 items (58 timeline, 41 evidence, 6 milestones, 2 alternatives) + prose. 54 verified, 35 corrected (15 date-only), 15 re-sourced, 3 removed (1 duplicate, 2 unsupported). Invented/contradicted: (1) 2009-10 lobbying '$15M' vs OpenSecrets $18.1M; (2) 2015 buyback activist 'David Einhorn' vs Harry Wilson (Fortune); (3) 2019 strike cost '$3.6-4B' vs GM's $3.8-4B (CNBC); (4) 80%/603-records anecdote attributed to the March 2024 NYT story, actually WSB-TV Jan 2025; (5) Cruise shutdown '~2,000 jobs' vs ~1,000 (TechCrunch); (6) 2025+ Google Maps 'requires paid plan' vs navigation included 8 years (GM Authority); (7) Cadillac 'near the bottom' of CR's '27-brand' ranking vs 18th of 26.
54 -> 53. Since Feb 2026 (window Oct 2025-Oct 2026): GM said it will drop CarPlay/Android Auto from all vehicles (Oct 2025), cut 3,400+ EV/battery jobs plus Oshawa and IT layoffs, approved another $6B buyback and 20% dividend hike amid $7.2B EV charges (Jan 2026), FTC order finalized (Jan 2026), MDL 3115 core claims survived dismissal (Apr 2026), California $12.75M CCPA settlement (May 2026), record $11.4M Q1 2026 lobbying after ~$20M in 2025, NHTSA EA on ~1M L87 V8s after the recall fix failed (Aug 2026), destination charges up to $2,795. D2 6->5 (recalibration: record shows MA ballot funding and paid ACDelco TDS access, not systematic lockout; serialization/allocation claims unsourced). D5 7->6 (event: data sales ended Apr 2024 and are now barred by the Jan 2026 FTC order and May 2026 California settlement). D6 5->4 (correction: fact audit removed dealer four-square/F&I items; remaining GM-specific patterns, mandatory OnStar and Smart Driver enrollment, ended 2023-2024). D10 4->6 (recalibration: 4-year Takata recall fight, 2024 $145.8M fuel-economy penalty, Cruise false report and multi-state data enforcement fit 6-7 'strategic delay/active lobbying'). D7 kept at 6 after rechecking without F&I (OnStar >$3B revenue as investor growth metric, Super Cruise paywall, destination-fee creep). Eras: all 6 kept and re-dated to inflection events: 2010-11-01->2010-11-17 (IPO), 2014-06-01->2014-02-06 (ignition recall), 2016-06-01->2016-01-01 (Smart Driver launch), 2019-06-01->2018-11-26 (plant-closure announcement), 2022-06-01->2021-10-06 (software/services revenue target), 2026-02-16->2024-03-11 (NYT data exposé); all re-scored (31/38/39/48/55/53; previously 30/35/38/42/48/54).
No material changes since 2026-02-16. Checked regulatory actions (May 2026 California CCPA settlement of $12.75M and April 2026 MDL dismissal denial are continuations of the already-scored Smart Driver data scandal), layoffs (~600 IT workers May 2026, 750 Oshawa — continuation of documented D9 trend), buybacks/dividend, recalls (expanded NHTSA L87 probe continues already-cited investigation), leadership (Barra remains CEO), and tariff-driven pricing (industry-wide). No finding shifts a dimension into a different scoring band.