Photo: Cadillac
After years of limiting the availability of its Super Cruise system, GM appears to be finally getting serious about expanding this semi-autonomous driving technology to more vehicles in its lineup.
According to GM Authority, GM President Mark Reuss recently told investors that this technology will be available in 22 of the automaker’s vehicles by 2023 — including SUVs and trucks.
GM has a long way to go before it reaches that ambitious goal. Until recently, the only vehicle equipped with Super Cruise was the Cadillac CT6, and that sedan was just canceled. The recently released Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans have now received the technology, and it’s also expected to show up in the redesigned 2021 Cadillac Escalade later this year.
Cadillac’s other models — the XT4, XT5, and XT6 crossovers — are currently slated to get the technology for the 2022 model year.
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Photo: Cadillac
Non-Cadillac models will get Super Cruise, too
GM says its non-Cadillac brands will also start getting in on the Super Cruise action before 2023. The automaker promises that the technology will be added to at least one Chevrolet, Buick, or GMC vehicle by 2021, but it’s not saying which model that will be.
Odds are that the semi-autonomous system’s first non-Cadillac appearance will be as an optional feature on a premium SUV or truck trim — for example, the GMC Sierra Denali, the Chevrolet Silverado High Country, or the Buick Enclave Avenir.
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So what’s the big deal about Super Cruise? In short, it’s a highly advanced technology that allows a driver to ride hands-free — as long as he or she is paying attention, this system will take care of the vehicle’s steering, acceleration, braking, and following distance. There’s even a new function that allows for automatic lane changes.
Super Cruise accomplishes all this with a combination of cameras, front and rear radar sensors, and computers loaded with 200,000 miles of mapped roadway data around the U.S. and Canada. The system also incorporates a driver attention camera that checks up on the person behind the wheel to detect distraction or disengagement.
At a minimum, this is a huge improvement over GM’s existing Adaptive Cruise Control tech. And with expanded availability now looming, more drivers will finally get the opportunity to experience this cutting-edge technology for themselves.
A longtime editor/writer and recently transplanted Hoosier, Caleb Cook lives in Xenia, Ohio. His favorite activities are reading and listening to music, although he occasionally emerges from the heap of books and vinyl records in his basement to stand blinking in the sunlight. Once fully acclimated to the outside world again, he can be observed hanging out with his wife, attempting a new recipe in the kitchen, attending movies, walking the dog, or wandering into a local brewery to inquire about what’s on tap. See more articles by Caleb.