General Motors has hired former Tesla executive and Aurora co-founder Sterling Anderson as it seeks to accelerate progress in software development, electric vehicle profitability and autonomous driving, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg.
Anderson joined General Motors in June 2025 and is tasked with advancing key technology initiatives seen as central to the automaker’s long-term strategy. Bloomberg reported that some within the company view Anderson as a potential future chief executive, although General Motors said no succession planning is currently underway.
Anderson declined to comment on speculation about a possible future leadership role, saying his attention is focused on his current responsibilities. “My focus is on what I’m doing. I’ve got plenty work to do where I am,” he said.
General Motors is led by Chief Executive Mary Barra, who is 63, while company president Mark Reuss, 62, is also seen as a key figure in the automaker’s senior leadership team. Bloomberg noted that any potential leadership transition would likely be years away.
Anderson, 42, previously served as chief product officer at Aurora Innovation, where he helped guide the company’s strategic shift away from robotaxis toward autonomous freight trucking operations in Texas. Before that, he played a senior role at Tesla, leading development of the Model X and contributing to the early Autopilot system.
He later departed Tesla following disagreements over the development and deployment of driver-assistance technology, which has since attracted scrutiny from U.S. safety regulators. At General Motors, Anderson said his approach emphasizes understanding the organization before implementing changes.
“You simply cannot afford to break a company and hope to pull the pieces back together,” Anderson said. “What you want to do … is understand how it works and then start to surgically make changes across the company to where they needed to be made.”
People familiar with the strategy told Bloomberg that Anderson is expected to play a role in expanding software-based revenue, extending hands-free driving systems such as Super Cruise into more complex environments, and reshaping EV supply chains and materials sourcing as the company works toward profitability in its electric vehicle business.
