Honda Motor Co. has decided to halt funding its joint project with General Motors Co. to develop autonomous vehicles.
This decision follows GM’s move to pull back from its Cruise robotaxi business, signaling a shift in the direction of their partnership and the broader push for autonomous vehicle technologies.
“We will continue to develop new products and services for the Japanese market,” a Honda spokesperson said in a statement.
GM announced on Tuesday that it is shutting down Cruise due to high development costs and difficulties in expanding its fleet across multiple cities.
The company will integrate Cruise into its operations, focusing on safety systems for its current vehicles.
GM also plans to explore self-driving features in future models, shifting away from the full-scale robotaxi concept.
The decision is a significant setback for CEO, Mary Barra, as GM had invested over $9 billion into Cruise.