• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

GM’s Cruise Automation Is Testing Self-Driving Chevy Bolts in Arizona

By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Kirsten Korosec
Kirsten Korosec
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 9, 2016, 2:01 AM ET
Helena Price Photography

Cruise Automation, the startup acquired earlier this year by General Motors (GM), has expanded testing of self-driving car technology to Scottsdale, Ariz. And they’re hiring test drivers.

The startup, which has been testing autonomous technology on the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EV in San Francisco since at least May, made the announcement via Twitter. (The all-electric Chevy Bolt isn’t expected to go into production until October.)

We’re testing @Cruise autonomous tech on @Chevrolet Bolt EVs on roads in Scottsdale, AZ, in addition to San Fran. pic.twitter.com/FjxduIfLKD

— cruise (@Cruise) August 8, 2016

The company also has a job listing for an automated vehicle trainer in Scottsdale, a position it says will help “test and improve the performance of our driverless cars.”

See also: GM Comes Clean About Testing Self-Driving Tech on the New Chevy Bolt EV

Fortune has reported before that Cruise Automation had opened facilities in Phoenix, but GM never provided details about why it was there and what its plans were. The greater Phoenix area, which Scottsdale is a part of, has become one of the hottest new hubs for testing and developing self-driving cars. Google is currently testing its self-driving car in the area, and several auto-related startups, including Local Motors, are either based there, or have a major presence in the region.

Phoenix might seem like an unlikely hotspot for self-driving cars. However, the low cost of operating in the state, the steady influx of talent from local universities, and the state government’s support for testing these cars on its roads have helped attract companies. In 2015, Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order supporting the testing and operation of automated vehicles on public roads and authorizing university pilot programs.

See also: Another Electric Car Factory Is Coming to China

The distinct desert conditions can also help automakers and tech companies test how sensors on the self-driving cars would handle extreme temperatures and dust.

GM has worked on autonomous vehicle tech for years. However, the company’s autonomous research team has traditionally kept a low profile, at least publicly. That all changed in the past year, as GM began announcing new initiatives—sometimes several a month—that highlight its interest in self-driving cars and unconventional transportation options popularized by a new wave of startups, including a partnership and $500 million investment in ride-hailing startup Lyft. That same month, GM created an engineering team dedicated to autonomous driving.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

All of that activity was eclipsed by GM’s purchase of San Francisco startup Cruise Automation for more than $1 billion—a price that Fortune originally reported and sticks by, even in light of comments made by GM chief financial officer Chuck Stevens during an earnings call in July.

Cruise Automation, which had about 40 employees back in March, has ramped up its activity and hiring since it was acquired by GM.

About the Author
By Kirsten Korosec
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
North America
'I meant what I said in Davos': Carney says he really is planning a Canada split with the U.S. along with 12 new trade deals
By Rob Gillies and The Associated PressJanuary 28, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
The American taxpayer spent nearly half a billion dollars deploying federal troops to U.S. cities in 2025, CBO finds
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 28, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
Jeff Bezos capped his Amazon salary at $80,000: ‘How could I possibly need more incentive?’
By Sydney LakeJanuary 28, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
Fortune 500 CEOs are no longer giving employees an A for effort. Now they want proof of impact
By Claire ZillmanJanuary 28, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Jerome Powell got a direct question about the U.S. ‘losing credibility’ and the soaring price of gold and silver. He punted
By Eva RoytburgJanuary 29, 2026
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Thursday, January 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJanuary 29, 2026
22 hours ago

Latest in Tech

taxi
Commentaryregulation
America’s AI regulatory patchwork is crushing startups and helping China
By James Richardson and Eric TanenblattJanuary 30, 2026
2 minutes ago
Photo of Elon Musk
NewslettersTerm Sheet
$100 million-plus funding rounds used to be incredibly rare. Now, 40% of seed and Series A rounds are clearing that bar
By Allie GarfinkleJanuary 30, 2026
28 minutes ago
NewslettersFortune Tech
Apple delivers blowout earnings; gets bupkis
By Alexei OreskovicJanuary 30, 2026
41 minutes ago
AICollaboration
Are you a cyborg, a centaur, or a self-automator? Why businesses need the right kind of ‘humans in the loop’ in AI
By François Candelon, Katherine Kellogg, Hila Lifshitz and Steven RandazzoJanuary 30, 2026
2 hours ago
HealthScience
As billionaires chase immortality, this startup cofounded by a Harvard genetics professor gets FDA approval for the first partial de-aging human trial
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 30, 2026
3 hours ago
A man works on two computers while a coworker looks on in the background.
AIGen Z
Gen Z believes using AI is making their colleagues dumb and lazy, but may paradoxically see it as key to their own promotion, Wharton says
By Sasha RogelbergJanuary 30, 2026
4 hours ago