Ed Whitacree is back living in San Antonio, but a piece of his heart will always be in Detroit.
The Former head of General Motors says the American auto industry is booming, and when the first self-driving car hits the highway, he predicts it will be made in Motor City, not Silicon Valley.
"Detroit is the car capitol of the world, and I think it's important for Ford, General Motors and Chrysler to be at the forefront," he tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI.
When you think of high tech, whether it's computers or cars, most people think of Northern California. But Whitacre points at a recent study that puts Ford at top of the pack.
"They've made some investments in technology. I'm happy Detroit is at the forefront.
"Independent research from a group called Navigant shows how research into automated driving has accelerated in the last decade, enabled by advancements in computational architectures and sensing technology, along with dramatic cost reductions. The group looked at 18 companies developing automated driving systems. They were rated on 10 criteria: vision; go-to market strategy; partners; production strategy; technology; sales, marketing, and distribution; product capability; product quality and reliability; product portfolio; and staying power. Not only was Ford tops in the pack, they beat out companies like Tesla, Google and Uber, which are perceived by the public as leaders in self driving technology."
These advancements, combined with vehicle electrification and ubiquitous connectivity, are enabling automated driving to rapidly become viable," the report reads.
And, while that's great, Whitacre says, there will always be room for human drivers.
"Will it ever take the place of people with hands on the steering wheel? I don’t think so. At least it wouldn’t for me. I'd be too nervous."