Barra confronts a litany of GM hurdles

High hopes: An assembly line worker inspecting a Chevrolet car at the GM Orion plant in Michigan. Analysts applaud Barra’s plan but say developing new technologies is not GM’s strength. — AP

DETROIT: Mary Barra’s ambitious plan to double General Motors Co’s (GM) revenue to US$280bil by the end of the decade has a relatively simple premise at its heart: Turn the legacy automaker into more of a tech company.

Barra, the chief executive officer (CEO) of one of the biggest carmakers in the United States, is learning just how hard that pivot really is.