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GM plans to use a new central compute system in future vehicles to expand which software updates can be delivered over the air, potentially reducing some trips to dealerships. GM executive Jaclyn McQuaid said the system is expected to debut on the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ; the company has not said which updates will be remote or how much dealership visits will fall.
General Motors says a new central compute system planned for future vehicles should allow more software work to be completed through over-the-air updates, reducing some dealership visits for owners. Jaclyn McQuaid, GM’s senior vice president of vehicle products, said the goal is to move more work to remote updates, while acknowledging that not every repair or update will be possible without a visit.
McQuaid described the change in an interview on The Drivecast, responding to a question about whether GM’s upcoming system could deliver updates without requiring a dealership visit when no physical hardware needs attention. “The goal is to significantly reduce what would need a dealership visit versus what can be done OTA,” she said. She cautioned that some work may still require in-person service.
The system is part of a new electrical architecture that GM says will underpin future models. McQuaid said it will consolidate functions handled by dozens of modules into a central unit, expanding the range of vehicle software that can be updated remotely. GM says the architecture is due to debut on the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ. The company has not announced when it will reach Silverado models.
GM vehicles already receive some over-the-air updates, McQuaid said. She gave the example of accepting a recent update in a new light-duty gas-powered truck, which took about 15 minutes. But current vehicles use many separate modules, and some are not capable of receiving updates remotely. GM says the central system will have 40 times more compute power than its current architecture, according to McQuaid.
More Updates Without a Service Visit
For owners, the proposed shift could mean fewer trips to a dealer for software-related work, such as changes to vehicle functions or fixes for software problems. An update delivered remotely may also reduce the time an owner spends arranging service, though GM has not quantified the expected reduction or identified which updates will qualify.
GM also expects a shared software foundation to simplify development across its vehicle lineup. McQuaid said common software can be engineered and validated once, then used more broadly across gas and electric models. In principle, that could let GM address a software issue with a common update rather than develop separate fixes for different vehicle groups. Those are the company’s stated aims; the practical results will depend on the system’s rollout and the specific functions each model supports.
Remote software does not replace physical maintenance. Tire replacement, worn suspension parts and other hardware repairs still require hands-on work. Even with expanded OTA capability, owners should expect dealerships and repair shops to remain part of vehicle maintenance.
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GM’s Shift to Central Computing
GM’s existing vehicles can already receive some software updates over the air, but the company says their distributed electronic systems limit what can be updated remotely. The new architecture is intended to bring more computing functions together and give GM’s software teams a more consistent platform across vehicles.
McQuaid described this as a substantial engineering effort, with GM bringing more software development in-house. She said the approach could provide faster connectivity and more room to add features over time. GM has also presented the architecture as part of a wider technology plan involving future electric vehicles, driver-assistance capabilities and an updated OnStar offering. The central computer is the hardware and software foundation for that plan, but the immediate consumer-facing claim is a wider scope for OTA updates.
““The goal is to significantly reduce what would need a dealership visit versus what can be done OTA.””
— Jaclyn McQuaid, GM senior vice president of vehicle products
Which Updates Will Be Remote?
GM has not provided a list of repairs or software functions that will move to OTA delivery, nor a figure for how many dealership visits the system could prevent. The company also has not said when the architecture will reach the Silverado lineup; the announced first application is the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ.
It remains unclear how the system will be rolled out across GM’s brands and models, and whether all vehicles using it will support the same remote functions. Software updates cannot address faults that require physical parts or labor. McQuaid also noted that central computing has packaging considerations, so the architecture’s trade-offs will become clearer as production vehicles arrive.
Escalade IQ Leads the Rollout
The next major milestone is the architecture’s planned debut on the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ. GM has not announced a detailed schedule for other models, including future Silverados, or specified when it will publish more information about OTA functions and service requirements.
As the first vehicles approach production, owners and prospective buyers will be able to see which updates can be installed remotely and which still require service. Until GM provides those details, fewer dealership visits remain a stated goal rather than a quantified or guaranteed outcome.
Key Questions
Will future Silverados get the new central computer?
GM has discussed the system as part of its future vehicle architecture, but it has not announced when it will reach Silverado models. The planned first application is the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ.
Will the system eliminate dealership visits?
No. GM says the goal is to reduce visits for work that can be handled remotely. McQuaid said not every update will be possible over the air, and physical repairs will still require service.
Can GM vehicles already receive over-the-air updates?
Yes. McQuaid said GM vehicles already receive some OTA updates, including a recent update she accepted in a light-duty truck. She said current vehicles’ many modules limit which updates can be delivered remotely.
How much more computing power will the new system have?
McQuaid said the system will have 40 times more compute power than GM’s current architecture. GM has not tied that figure to a specific increase in update speed or to a quantified reduction in service visits.
Source: thedrive.com
