Southfield — A test ride in the self-driving Chevrolet Bolt is like going back to driver’s ed. The car does indeed drive itself, but it slavishly obeys traffic rules that I forgot even existed. General Motors made the car available to media and analysts this week, giving outsiders a first-ever peek at its autonomous vehicles. Until now, only GM engineers and the staff at San Francisco-based Cruise Automation, the company’s software unit, have been inside. The Bolt is so cautious that it might bore even a conservative driver to tears. Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt it very clear that the ultra-defensive posture of the Bolt AV is by design. Self-driving cars are about reducing crashes and fatalities above all else. "Comfort and smoothness of ride is a distant priority after making the vehicle safe," Vogt said. "Over the company’s three-year history, only about 2% of the time have we considered any element of smoothness or comfort. It has been entirely about getting you there safely." GM showed ...
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