General Motors Hires Former Apple Executive to Strengthen Software Services

General Motors recently hired former Apple executive Tim Twerdahl to strengthen its software services division. Twerdahl will serve as the Vice President of Product Management for General Motors’ software services department. Prior to joining General Motors, he held the position of Vice President of Home and Audio Products at Apple, overseeing products including AirPods and Apple TV. Additionally, Twerdahl previously served as the Chief Product Officer at Juno, a sustainable architectural design company.

General Motors is actively refining its leadership team for the emerging software division, particularly inclined towards recruiting former Apple executives. This move is aimed at supporting the company’s progress in the areas of software services, autonomous vehicles, and pure electric vehicles. General Motors recognizes the necessity of attracting talent from software companies in the race to capture the vehicle software market against competitors like Tesla and Chinese automakers.

At the same time, General Motors is implementing cost-cutting and efficiency measures, planning to reduce more than 1000 employees in the software department to eliminate management layers that hinder software development speed. Nevertheless, General Motors’ journey towards electrification and intelligence is still fraught with challenges. For instance, earlier this year, General Motors suspended sales of the Chevrolet Blazer electric SUV and encountered software-related issues with the Cadillac Lyriq electric vehicle.