GM's Sterling Anderson Says Humanoid Robots Shouldn't Build Cars

Sterling Anderson, General Motors' chief product officer, says humanoid robots are not the tool automakers need on the factory floor, according to an interview published by The Verge on October 27, 2026. Anderson made the remarks tied to a speech at GM's annual technology event in New York on October 21, 2026, where he also laid out why he favors personally owned autonomous vehicles over robotaxi fleets, per the interview conducted by Verge transportation editor Andrew J. Hawkins.

Who is Sterling Anderson and why does his view on robots matter?

Anderson holds the title of chief product officer at General Motors, the role that puts him in charge of how the automaker sequences software, hardware and manufacturing priorities, according to The Verge. His comments on humanoid robots came as part of a wider conversation that Hawkins describes as covering "the company's software evolution, the physics of multisensor vehicle safety, and why personally owned autonomous vehicles beat robotaxis."

What did Anderson say about humanoid robots building cars?

The interview's framing, as published by The Verge, states plainly that Anderson "doesn't think humanoid robots should be building cars." That positions him against a wave of interest across the auto and tech industries in deploying human-shaped robots for assembly-line work, though the published material does not detail a specific rival company or program Anderson was responding to.

Why does GM's product chief prefer personally owned autonomous vehicles to robotaxis?

Hawkins' subheadline frames this as one of the interview's central threads, alongside the physics of multisensor vehicle safety. The published excerpt does not spell out Anderson's full reasoning beyond that framing, so readers looking for the complete argument should consult the original interview linked below.

When and where did Anderson make these comments?

The photo accompanying the interview shows Anderson delivering a speech at GM's annual technology event in New York on October 21, 2026. The Verge published the resulting interview six days later, on October 27, 2026, at 11:00 AM UTC.

What do terms like robotaxi and humanoid robot mean in this debate?

Robotaxi: A self-driving vehicle operated as part of a ride-hailing fleet rather than owned by an individual driver.

Personally owned autonomous vehicle: A self-driving car purchased and used by an individual owner, the model Anderson is described as favoring over fleet-based robotaxis.

Humanoid robot: A robot built with a human-like body plan — arms, legs, torso — designed to perform tasks in spaces built for people, including factory floors.

Multisensor vehicle safety: An approach to autonomous-driving safety that relies on multiple sensor types — cameras, radar, lidar — working together rather than a single sensor system.

Key dates in the GM interview

• October 21, 2026: Anderson delivers his speech at GM's annual technology event in New York.
• October 27, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC: The Verge publishes Hawkins' interview with Anderson.

The full interview, including Anderson's detailed reasoning on software strategy and autonomous-vehicle ownership, is available at The Verge.