Restructuring and Other Initiatives

We have executed various restructuring and other initiatives and we may execute additional initiatives in the future, if necessary, to streamline manufacturing capacity and other costs to improve the utilization of remaining facilities. To the extent these programs involve voluntary separations, no liabilities are generally recorded until offers to employees are accepted. If employees are involuntarily terminated, a liability is generally recorded at the communication date. Related charges are recorded in Automotive cost of sales and Automotive selling, general and administrative expense. The following table summarizes the reserves and charges related to restructuring and other initiatives, including postemployment benefit reserves and charges:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
Balance at beginning of period	$	268		$	383		$	627
Additions, interest accretion and other	330			412			545
Payments	(315		)	(490		)	(360		)
Revisions to estimates and effect of foreign currency	(56		)	(37		)	(429		)
Balance at end of period	$	227		$	268		$	383

In the year ended December 31, 2017 restructuring and other initiatives primarily include restructuring actions announced in the three months ended June 30, 2017 in GMI. These actions related primarily to the withdrawal of Chevrolet from the Indian and South African markets at the end of 2017 and the transition of our South Africa manufacturing operations to Isuzu Motors. We intend to continue manufacturing vehicles in India for sale to certain export markets. We recorded charges of $460 million in GMI primarily consisting of $297 million of asset impairments, sale incentives, inventory provisions and other charges, not reflected in the table above, and $163 million of dealer restructurings, employee separations and other contract cancellation costs, which are reflected in the table above. We completed these programs in GMI in 2017.

Other GMI restructuring programs reflected in the table above include separation and other programs in Australia, Korea and India and the withdrawal of the Chevrolet brand from Europe. Collectively, these programs had a total cost of $892 million since inception in 2013 through the completion of the programs in the year ended December 31, 2017.

In the year ended December 31, 2016 restructuring and other initiatives related primarily to charges of $240 million in the three months ended March 31, 2016 in GMNA related to the cash severance incentive program to qualified U.S. hourly employees under our 2015 labor agreement with the UAW and insignificant costs for separation and other programs in Australia, Korea and India and the withdrawal of Chevrolet brand from Europe.

In the year ended December 31, 2015 restructuring and other initiatives related primarily to the reversal of the U.S. Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Plan accrual for temporary layoff benefits of $317 million resulting from a plan amendment in the 2015 UAW Agreement in GMNA and costs incurred of $324 million related to the separation and other programs in Australia, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, India and the exit of Russia and the withdrawal of the Chevrolet brand from Europe.