Click to enlarge.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) said this morning that it is promoting Baris Cetinok and Dave Richardson to head its Software and Services organization as the company continues to develop electric, autonomous and connected vehicles. Cetinok and Richardson came to GM in September 2023 to work on vehicle operating and digital systems, “laying the foundation for software to become a central component of GM’s customer experience.” The former technology executives take over for Mike Abbott, who left GM in March 2024 less than a year after leaving Apple to join GM because of health reasons. They will be based out of the new GM Mountain View Technical Center in California.*
“GM’s journey toward a tech-forward future is clearer than ever, thanks to the exceptional talent within our team and the leadership of Baris and Dave,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra. “They bring energy and vision, combined with extensive technical and management experience, that will continue to strengthen our software engineering and product teams. These elevated roles will ensure continuity, speed, and quality as software becomes even more central to the vehicle.”
“As senior vice president of Software and Services Product Management, Program Management, and Design, Cetinok will oversee the teams responsible for the company’s software roadmap design and the process for software program development, launch, and continual improvement,” GM said.
“As senior vice president of Software and Services Engineering, Richardson is expanding his current role to lead all of software engineering inclusive of areas like embedded platforms, digital products, commercial solutions, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)” GM said. Both will work with GM’s vehicle design and hardware engineering organizations.
Cetinok brings more than 25 years of experience in product, engineering, and design at companies including Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple. As senior director of Product Management at Apple, he launched Apple Pay, Apple Cash, Apple Card, and iCloud services such as Photos, Drive, and Find My. Cetinok also played a leadership role in the development of Microsoft Office and Amazon Payments in AWS.
Richardson spent 12 years at Apple where he was an engineering leader responsible for driving innovation and efficiency in infrastructure for Apple services including iCloud, FaceTime, and Siri. He was also co-founder and chief scientist at cloud computing company Skytap and was a founding advisor for online marketplace Dibspace. Richardson holds both a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Washington.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
GM Changing Software and Services Organization
Click to enlarge.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) said this morning that it is promoting Baris Cetinok and Dave Richardson to head its Software and Services organization as the company continues to develop electric, autonomous and connected vehicles. Cetinok and Richardson came to GM in September 2023 to work on vehicle operating and digital systems, “laying the foundation for software to become a central component of GM’s customer experience.” The former technology executives take over for Mike Abbott, who left GM in March 2024 less than a year after leaving Apple to join GM because of health reasons. They will be based out of the new GM Mountain View Technical Center in California.*
“GM’s journey toward a tech-forward future is clearer than ever, thanks to the exceptional talent within our team and the leadership of Baris and Dave,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra. “They bring energy and vision, combined with extensive technical and management experience, that will continue to strengthen our software engineering and product teams. These elevated roles will ensure continuity, speed, and quality as software becomes even more central to the vehicle.”
“As senior vice president of Software and Services Product Management, Program Management, and Design, Cetinok will oversee the teams responsible for the company’s software roadmap design and the process for software program development, launch, and continual improvement,” GM said.
“As senior vice president of Software and Services Engineering, Richardson is expanding his current role to lead all of software engineering inclusive of areas like embedded platforms, digital products, commercial solutions, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)” GM said. Both will work with GM’s vehicle design and hardware engineering organizations.
Cetinok brings more than 25 years of experience in product, engineering, and design at companies including Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple. As senior director of Product Management at Apple, he launched Apple Pay, Apple Cash, Apple Card, and iCloud services such as Photos, Drive, and Find My. Cetinok also played a leadership role in the development of Microsoft Office and Amazon Payments in AWS.
Richardson spent 12 years at Apple where he was an engineering leader responsible for driving innovation and efficiency in infrastructure for Apple services including iCloud, FaceTime, and Siri. He was also co-founder and chief scientist at cloud computing company Skytap and was a founding advisor for online marketplace Dibspace. Richardson holds both a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Washington.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.