POWER: Fuel Cells combine hydrogen stored in the vehicle and oxygen from the air to produce electricity, with water and heat as the by-products.  And hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. 

CONTROL: Drive-by-wire allows steering, braking, and other vehicle systems to be controlled by electrical signals rather than traditional mechanical joints and linkages.

SKATEBOARD: A six-inch thick chassis with the entire propulsion system housed within; wheel hub motors at the wheels enable four-wheel drive, four-wheel independent steering, and dual direction driving, acceleration, and braking; electrical mechanical body attachment mounts lock the body in place and onto the skateboard; pre-configured and validated perimeter structural impact zones optimize for safety and crash energy management; external side mounted optimized cooling fins disperse the heat output from the fuel cell propulsion system; a smart single access docking port connects and links power, control, heating and cooling systems to the body from the skateboard; and a refueling port for hydrogen, and an exhaust outlet dispersing water vapor are integral to the design.

MANUFACTURING: By decoupling the body and skateboard in the manufacturing process and using a modular assembly and an accelerated and adaptive vehicle development process, millions of skateboards can be manufactured at a location to achieve economies of scale to reduce cost and optimize efficiencies. The various bodies and body styles would then be built and customized at satellite assembly plants around the world for both emerging and established markets. This freedom and flexibility allows the vehicle to e adapt to the needs of unique global markets,  changing lifestyles, and various customer requirements around the world by glocal body manufacturing with shipped in and ready to doc and customize skateboards.

BODY INTERCHANGEABILITY: The body of an AUTOnomy vehicle can be tailored to a manufacturer type, to a desired interior vocabulary, and to any exterior form or desired style. The body has a floor and contains a seat or seats.

SOFTWARE CUSTOMIZATION: The body and skateboard are programable and customizable and can learn from and adapt to environments, to the specific docked body type or to the user. Software--in combination with hardware--can adapt to a user or be pre-conditioned for certain driving characteristics, such as braking, cornering, and acceleration.

UNVEILING: Revealed January 2002 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). The General Motors AUTOnomy body has a futuristic two-seat roadster body (one of many possible interchangeable body styles) inspired by organic forms, motorcycles, and fighter jet designs. 

DESIGN: Executive Director Ed Welburn, the current VP of General Motors Design, oversaw and was responsible for the design development under then VP Wayne Cherry with Body Theme Creator: Alan Nicol. Body Lead Designer: Mike Pevovar, Chassis Lead Designer Chet Wisniewski, and Initial Concept Design and Theme Creator: Tucker Johnson.