Latest Improvements To Cadillac Super Cruise
Super Cruise debuted on the 2018 Cadillac CT6. Although the large sedan is discontinued after the 2020 model year, an enhanced Super Cruise version will be available for the upcoming 2021 Cadillac CT4 and Cadillac CT5, which were all-new models for 2020. The completely-redesigned 2021 Cadillac Escalade also gets the latest version of Super Cruise. All are expected to go on sale by the end of 2020.
A notable addition to this enhanced version of Cadillac Super Cruise is automatic lane-change capability. With only a tap of a lever, the driver prompts the system to activate the turn signal and proceed to change lanes if certain conditions are met. If Super Cruise is unable to perform the task safely, the system will inform the driver to do so manually. Other improvements to the next-generation Super Cruise include more detailed map information, updated software for steering and speed control, and greater ease of use and functionality.
Currently, Super Cruise remains a Cadillac-only feature, but parent company General Motors has plans to extend the hands-free technology to 22 vehicles by 2023. The first implementation of Super Cruise in a vehicle that isnt a Cadillac is expected to be the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV, a new electric SUV based on the Bolt EV electric car.
Cadillac is the source of information in this article. It was accurate as of April 16, 2020, but may have changed since that time.
How To Activate Super Cruise
Brownwood CT6 drivers who want to use this exciting feature can do so in three easy steps.
- Press the Adaptive Cruise Control button on the steering wheel to turn it on. The symbol on the instrument cluster will illuminate in WHITE. If the adaptive cruise control is already set, the symbol will be GREEN with the speed shown.
- When the system detects that youre on a limited-access freeway, paying enough attention, and other driving conditions are met, the Super Cruise symbol will illuminate WHITE on the instrument cluster. The other driving conditions include:
- Lane markings visible
- GPA available
- NO system faults
Super Cruise Is So Good At The One Thing It Does Well That I’m Going To Give It To Cadillac With Some Caveats
Super Cruise was superb, in my limited drive-time, and when it was willing to operate. It’s a hyper-conservative approach to Level 2 autonomy the level at which the driver must monitor the system, but can consider taking his or her hands off the wheel while being prepared to resume control when prompted.
Caddy bills Super Cruise as the first true hands-free self-driving technology for the highway, and if you accept the parameters, you can take your hand off the wheel for relatively long stretches and, if you keep you eyes engaged with the instrument cluster and don’t defy the surveillance of the monitoring camera , it can feel as if an adult is piloting the vehicle.
But it really needs to stay in its Lidar-mapped box, on exactly the right type of freeway, to work.
Autopilot is vastly more ambitious, but in practice, it’s still awkward. Then again, it’s also learning on the fly, sharing data with Tesla’s entire fleet of Autopilot capable vehicles and the mother ship in Northern California. So, in theory, it should benefit from future network effects and be able to match or surpass Super Cruise’s highway talents. The bottom line is that Autopilot could be hands-free in many more environments that Super Cruise.
But Super Cruise is impressive and shows that if you test, test, test before launching and drastically restrict the range of hands-free opportunity, you can deliver a confidence-boosting hands-free system.
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Which One Is More Advanced
The answer to this question largely depends on who you ask, and how you define the term advanced. Whats certain is that Cadillacs system was designed specifically for hands-off operation, while Teslas wasnt.
With an attentive driver, and under the proper conditions, Super Cruise can be equipped to permit hands-free operation of the vehicle,according to Cadillac. Meanwhile, Teslas fine print claimsAutopilot is a hands-on driver assistance system that is intended to be used only with a fully attentive driver.
Simply put, you can take your hands off the steering wheel in a Cadillac but you need to keep both hands on it in a Tesla. Of course, the countless videos of motorists sleeping, eating, reading, putting on makeup, and crashing on Autopilot suggest these guidelines arent always followed.
With that said, Autopilot boasts a more robust set of features than Super Cruise. Theres no Cadillac-branded equivalent to Smart Summon, and the system cant automatically take an off-ramp . And, Autopilot can be engaged on more roads than Super Cruise because its not map-dependent. Its fair to say Super Cruise is more advanced, while Autopilot is more comprehensive. And both are extremely innovative technologies.
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What Are The Requirements And Limitations
Super Cruise is only available on a series of thoroughly mapped highways that are programmed into the system. That said, to date, that equates to more than 320,000 kilometres worth of roadways in Canada and the United States, with more being added and uploaded to the system regularly. Still, in Canada, this means that the system generally works on major highways, not secondary ones on which only traditional cruise control is available to drivers. When Super Cruise is available, a blue light shows up on the steering wheel that turns green when activated.
The ability to execute safe lane changes on its own requires an array of additional sensors added to the exterior of my Escalade tester. In addition to sophisticated LiDAR mapping, there are both short- and long-range radar sensors to help measure distance. In the rear end alone, there are four different radar sensors, which means even a light parking lot tap could result in some serious repair costs.
Ultimately, the latest Super Cruise system is a well-executed bit of technology. It operates as promised, resulting in smooth, natural-feeling on-road operation resembling an astute and reasonably conscientious driver. Whats more, it complements Cadillacs advanced driver information, including its augmented reality display that overlays mapping directions on screen.
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How Does Super Cruise Work
Cadillac built Super Cruise around a suite of cameras and radars that scope out the road ahead. Theyre the same units used to power driving aids like lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control, but theyre complemented by extremely accurate lidar map data and an eye-tracking camera that detects whether the driver is paying attention. Bundled together, these features allow motorists to safely and legally take both hands off the steering wheel.
Engaging Super Cruise is a straightforward process. First, turn on adaptive cruise control using the button on the steering wheel. The system will then determine whether the car is traveling on a road thats programmed into its system, check that it can clearly read the lane markings, and detect if the driver is paying attention. The steering wheel-shaped Super Cruise symbol appears in the digital instrument cluster when the system can be engaged.
Use a button on the steering wheel to turn it on, and wait for the curved light bar on the top part of the rim to turn green before taking your hands off the wheel. Intuitive color-coded graphics in the instrument cluster show information about the car and its surroundings, like the pre-set distance between it and the car ahead and the speed its cruising at.
How Does Cadillac Super Cruise Work
Cadillac Super Cruise is a semi-autonomous hands-free driving system for use on limited access highways. With Super Cruise, highway drivingor, ahem, cruisingis easier and more comfortable because the system automatically controls vehicle speed and steering. But if youre prone to distraction or encouraged to think you can be because you dont need to hold the steering wheel, the system wont work because it requires driver attention at all times.
Based on the Society of Automobile Engineers International classification, Cadillac Super Cruise falls under Level 2 , which means it provides partial driving automation. So, yes, a Super Cruise-enabled vehicle can drive for you, but, no, you cannot take a nap, check your email, or watch a movie while youre behind the wheel.
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Where Cadillac Super Cruise Works
Super Cruise is only available on compatible highways separated from opposing traffic. Last year, Cadillac expanded the availability of Super Cruise with an additional 70,000 miles of compatible roadways in the United States and Canada. The update, sent to customers over the air, brings the total number of highway miles Super Cruise is compatible with to more than 200,000.
Expanding our offering of compatible highways will allow people the ease and convenience of traveling hands-free more often, said Mario Maiorana, Cadillac Super Cruise Chief Engineer.
Some of the newly added divided highways include things like limited intersections and traffic control devices, according to Cadillac. Despite the update, in the presence of railroad and pedestrian crossings, stoplights or stop signs, Super Cruise will alert drivers to take control. In addition to the mileage expansion, the software update made enhancements to the driver attention system.
How To Activate Cadillac Hands Free Driving
Pompano Beach drivers who want to try Cadillac hands free driving can do so in three easy steps:
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How Does Ultra Cruise Work
Ultra Cruise activates with the touch of a button. Going beyond the current Super Cruise system, Ultra Cruise builds a full 360-degree three-dimensional view of the vehicle’s surroundings by combining data from a suite of cameras, sensors, radar, and lidar. While navigating this virtual environment and providing user information through a dedicated display screen directly in front of the driver, the Ultra Cruise system offers the following functionalities:
- Reacts to permanent traffic control devices
- Follows internal navigation route
- Maintains headway follows speed limits
- Supports automatic and on-demand lane change
- Supports left and right-hand turns
- Supports close object avoidance
- Supports parking in residential driveways
Essentially, Ultra Cruise can handle all the routine maneuvers needed in everyday driving, from stopping at stop signs to merging onto a highway via on-ramp. Owners can expect this list of capabilities to expand in the future with new features, functions, and services delivered via over-the-air updates .
Ultra Cruise communicates with the driver through a Human Machine Interface display screen, letting them know when they need to be in control of the vehicle. This key component of Ultra Cruise ensures that the driver and the system share the same understanding of the road ahead.
How Does This Cadillac Hands Free Driving System Work
The Cadillac Super Cruise is a hands free, driver assistance system available on more than 130,000 miles of limited-access freeways separated from opposing traffic. Cadillac hands free driving makes long drivers more comfortable. Handsfree driving is an extension of Adaptive Cruise Control, which controls acceleration and braking when its enabled. Cadillac hands free driving also uses OnStar® and precision LiDAR mapping along with in-car cameras, radar sensors, and GPS to know whats on the road ahead. Cadillac Super Cruise includes a three-year subscription to OnStar®.
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How Does Cadillac Hands
No, you cant just lean back and let the Cadillac do all the work, but you can make your car do a lot of it. Cadillac Super Cruise combines with Adaptive Cruise Control that controls acceleration and braking while its operating. Super Cruise supports services through OnStar® and precision LiDAR mapping, and works with in-car cameras, radar sensors, and GPS to detect each curve and hill on the road ahead. Cadillacs handsfree driving system is there to make long drives more convenient and more comfortable. A driver-facing mirror verifies that youre alert and able to take the wheel when necessary. The Super Cruise package includes three years of OnStar® for functionality support, after which an OnStar® plan must be purchased.
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Cadillac Super Cruise Vs Tesla Autopilot
Teslas Autopilot technology is one of the most-hyped and best-known suites of electronic driving aids, but its not the only system of its kind on the market. Cadillacs Super Cruise isnt as well known, yet its outstandingly safe and, in some ways, smarter than Autopilot. Join us for a look at how these rivaling systems work, the ways theyre similar, and the areas where they differ.
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Experience The Cadillac Super Cruise At City Cadillac
If the Super Cruise system is something you want in a new Cadillac model, visit City Cadillac for a test drive in a new vehicle! Once you get the feel for hands-free driving, you wont want to drive without it. Learn more about this system and its upcoming 2021 updates, check out our new vehicle specials, and contact us with any questions!
Changing Lanes In Rush Hour
If the driver taps the indicator stalk for a three-flash merge, the system measures space in the adjoining lane, speeding up or slowing to create space when needed. Smooth and assured, the system was a match for afternoon traffic on Chicagos Dan Ryan expressway, lovingly called the damned Ryan by commuters.
The system changes lanes to the left or right. If a gap isnt available, the maneuver is canceled until the driver tries again.
Super Cruise will read fast-closing traffic during lane changes, moving back into the original lane if necessary.
In addition to the map database and GPS thats accurate to less than 2 meters to position the car in lanes, Super Cruise sensors include:
- Forward facing camera for lanes, vehicles, objects
- Grille-mounted long-range front radar
- Two short-range radars for lane changes and neighboring vehicles
- 360-degree cameras for redundant lane-sensing
- Four short-range rear radars for safety and lane-change on demand
Other improvements for 2021 include a driver-attention sensor and front camera that are less susceptible to being blinded when the sun is low in the sky, and smoother steering adjustments.
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Cadillac Escalade Drops Hands
Cadillac confirmed the Level 2 hands-free driver-assist system is not available, at least for now.
Losing Super Cruise is a pretty big deal.
Like a half-filled bag of salty snacks, there simply aren’t enough semiconductor chips to go around these days. At General Motors, the crisis struck one of its biggest cash cows as Cadillac confirmed too few chips led it to scrap the Super Cruise feature from its flagship Escalade SUV.
Motor1 first reported the news Tuesday evening and a Cadillac spokesperson told Roadshow in a statement Wednesday, “Super Cruise is an important feature for the Cadillac Escalade program. Although it’s temporarily unavailable at the start of regular production due to the industry-wide shortage of semiconductors, we’re confident in our team’s ability to find creative solutions to mitigate the supply chain situation and resume offering the feature for our customers as soon as possible.”
As for the CT4 and CT5 — the next two cars set to receive the hands-free highway driving system — Cadillac said it built “a few” of the sedans with Super Cruise. “The semiconductor shortage resulted in us postponing the full launch of Super Cruise in our sedans until model year 2022,” a spokesperson said. “Now, the 2022 CT4s and CT5s will be available with Super Cruise in the first half of next year.”
Cadillac Updates Its Super Cruise Technology
Announcing Super Cruise, the industry’s first true hands-free driving technology. #CT6
Cadillac
Hands-free driving quickly became a reality for many consumers when Super Cruise technology debuted in 2017 on the 2018 Cadillac CT6. According to Car and Driver, the Super Cruise feature made the CT6 into a semi-autonomous vehicle, driving itself on highways.
Super Cruise technology works on a highway network system throughout the country, which has been specially mapped by Cadillac. As Super Cruise is not designed to handle intricate maneuvers, it is only designed to work on divided highways. When activated, Super Cruise drives the car without assistance from the driver.
The last few years have given Cadillac the chance to update and innovate its Super Cruise technology. By the end of 2020, the world will see an updated version of Super Cruise technology that is somehow even better than before.
Not just able to excel, brake, and maintain its lane, Super Cruise will now be updated to include automated lane change. Super Cruise will use new rear-facing sensors to determine appropriate space when changing lanes. Super Cruises GPS and LiDAR mapping precision is also extended to now include 200,000 drivable highways.
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