Could GM’s next car debut on the moon?

(WWJ) — General Motors is one of the pillars of not just Detroit’s auto industry, but the world’s as well. And now GM is quite literally “shooting for the moon.”

GM, as part of a team under Lunar Outpost, is among three remaining candidates for a contract from NASA to build the next lunar terrain vehicle as NASA and the U.S. have their eyes set on manned missions to the moon once again.

But why exactly does GM have an interest in space, and why is the U.S. going back to the moon? WWJ’s Brian Fisher explored those questions on a new Daily J podcast.

“If your battery can work on the moon, it’s gonna work in Hamtramck, Livonia, Garden City, or anywhere else. What you see is, you see a lot of technology development right now. And automotive technology has to be rock solid because it’s gotta work in some really severe conditions,” said WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert.

“So if GM can develop things that work on the moon, a lunar rover that can run autonomously when there are no astronauts there, that improves their technology here on Earth,” Gilbert said.

There’s also likely a marketing aspect in play, Gilbert said.

“Can you indulge me in an ‘old man moment?’ I was about 6 years old when Alan Shepherd went into space, so I grew up with the space program. Tang — the orange breakfast drink — they advertised everywhere that that was the drink of the astronauts. But it really didn’t taste very good, but boy, you loved drinking it because you knew the astronauts drank it,” Gilbert said.

“So yeah, I’m sure if GM can say their technology has been tested by NASA and put it in a vehicle, that immediately adds some cache,” he added.

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