GM to start self-driving taxis, delivery vehicles in big US cities in 2019

GM expects 'commercial launch at scale' of the autonomous vehicles in congested cities in 2019

General Motors Co. said Thursday it expects to deploy self-driving taxis and delivery vehicles in big U.S. cities by 2019. 

GM said at an investor presentation that based on its current rate of change, it expects "commercial launch at scale'' of the autonomous vehicles in congested cities in 2019. 

Its Cruise Automation unit is testing autonomous Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles with human backup drivers in San Francisco, Detroit and Phoenix, and has plans to test in Manhattan next year. The backup driver would be removed at the time of the commercial launch. 

The automaker says it's focused on deploying self-driving