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GM Defense Is Making a Driverless Silverado-Based Military Vehicle

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GM Defense Is Making a Driverless Silverado-Based Military Vehicle

The autonomous truck prototype is in the running to be used by the U.S. Army.

General Motors just revealed a driverless Silverado, but it’s not for civilian use. At the Association of the United States Army (AUSA)’s annual expo, GM Defense showed off an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) based on the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD.

The UGV’s front grille is unmistakably Silverado, but the rest is a bit more abstract, kind of like if Chevy chopped off the cab and swapped the traditional pickup bed with a flatbed. With no need for occupants inside the vehicle, it’s essentially stripped down to just an engine and a truck bed riding on chunky wheels.

The Silverado-based concept is built on dual-rear-wheel skateboard architecture, which GM says helps support silent movement. Rather than being built for combat, the UGV would be used for silent logistics runs and evacuations.

This isn’t the first time GM has worked for the U.S. government. GM Defense originated during World War I and has built vehicles and artillery since then, though GM briefly sold its defense business in 2003 before re-establishing it in 2017.

It’s also not the first time GM has transformed a pickup truck into a military vehicle. Most recently, GM won a bid in 2021 to produce a fleet of lightweight nine-passenger transporters based on the Chevy Colorado ZR2 . The contract for the Colorado-based Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) initially called for 649 vehicles, but that requirement has grown to nearly 12,000 units. GM Defense has since created a five-passenger version, which is expected to roll out across 39 brigades in the near future.


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