General Motors (GM) has secured a $2.25bn investment from SoftBank Vision Fund for GM Cruise Holdings, the manufacturer’s autonomous vehicle unit.

The investment is aimed at supporting GM’s plans to commercialise large-scale autonomous technology, beginning next year.

GM will also make an additional investment of $1.1bn in GM Cruise Holdings once the transaction is closed.

GM chairman and CEO Mary Barra said: “Our Cruise and GM teams together have made tremendous progress over the last two years.

“The GM Cruise approach of a fully integrated hardware and software stack gives it a unique competitive advantage.”

“Teaming up with SoftBank adds an additional strong partner as we pursue our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.”

GM will receive the SoftBank Vision Fund investment in two tranches.

The first $900m tranche will be made at the closing of the transaction, while the second $1.35bn tranche will be made when the Cruise autonomous vehicles are ready for commercial deployment subject to regulatory approval.

SoftBank Vision Fund will also acquire 19.6% stake in the GM Cruise with the investment.

SoftBank Investment Advisers managing partner Michael Ronen said: “GM has made significant progress toward realising the dream of completely automated driving to dramatically reduce fatalities, emissions and congestion.

“The GM Cruise approach of a fully integrated hardware and software stack gives it a unique competitive advantage.

“We look forward to partnering with SoftBank as we work toward deploying this technology safely and in massive scale.”

This investment values GM Cruise at $11.5bn.