Tesla v. GM: Which Self-Driving Tech Will Win?

In the race to develop self-driving cars, a few roadmaps are emerging. There’s the Tesla Motors approach of putting driverless vehicle technology directly in the hands of car owners. The other strategy—and the one General MotorsCEO Mary Barra appears to be steering—gives control to the automaker. At least initially.

GM’s deployment of self-driving cars that can safely navigate city streets without human intervention will first happen in a controlled, ride-sharing environment, Barra said Monday during the automaker’s third quarter earnings conference call, further explaining the reason behind the company’s alliance with on-demand ride service Lyft and the launch of its car-sharing program Maven.