Cadillac`s Super Cruise ‘autopilot` is ready for the expressway
Cadillac is about to commence selling vehicles with an autonomous driving mode and TechCrunch got an early look at the technology in a production car.
“Wait for the green light and let go,” the Cadillac engineer instructed. That’s it. The car was driving itself. I, the person behind the steering wheel, was no longer the driver. Cadillac’s Super Cruise system was driving.
The two thousand eighteen Cadillac CT6 sped along US-23 under the direction of Super Cruise. Traffic was light and the weather was ideal. The system held the Cadillac sedan in lane and responded appropriately to traffic. I spent an hour on the expressway and touched the steering wheel and pedals only a few times.
Super Cruise made the drive boring. I think that’s the point.
Here’s how it works
Super Cruise is available once the driver navigates the vehicle onto an expressway. When ready, a little icon is displayed by the speedometer and the driver hits a button on the steering wheel to switch it on.
Once the light bar on top of the steering wheel turns green, the driver can let go. Super Cruise is driving.
This steering wheel light bar is key to the operation. When green, the driver knows Super Cruise is in control. Blue means the driver interrupted the system to switch lanes and crimson means Super Cruise needs the driver to confirm they’re paying attention and not checking Twitter.
When active, Super Cruise controls the steering and speed, but again, only on an expressway. This is done through on board sensors and using GPS and mapping data. GM employed GeoDigital, a startup in GM Venture’s portfolio, to map 160,000 miles of expressways in the U.S. and Canada. The car company then used Super Cruise-equipped vehicles to test each mile.
This combination of on-board systems combined with map data makes the system feel polished and sophisticated. During my admittedly limited time in the vehicle, the CT6 precisely held its position in the lane and confidently treated sweeping forms at speed. There was no wiggling or wriggling — from the Cadillac or myself. The car was in control and I felt safe.
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Albeit the driving conditions were flawless for my test rail, during adverse weather, the system will work normally until one of the key systems is incapable to operate. Say powerful rain is affecting the front facing camera from capturing data, or side cameras are incapable to see lane markers because of snow – at this point, Super Cruise will alert the driver, and after the driver has regained the wheel, the system will turn off.
Don’t Call Super Cruise Autopilot
Super Cruise is Cadillac’s response to Tesla’s Autopilot. The system shares a lot of the same marketable points, but there are key differences. For one, Super Cruise only works on expressways. Cadillac’s system also lacks several autonomous features found on Autopilot including the capability to pull the car out of a garage and switch lanes by using the turn signals.
Cadillac’s version of this technology is, as the Super Cruise name suggests, a wise version of cruise control.
Cadillac is quick to point out Super Cruise is the very first true hands-free driving system for the highway. That’s a direct shot at Tesla’s Autopilot which requires drivers to put their arms on the steering wheel every few minutes. Cadillac’s version uses an IR sensor mounted on the steering column that monitors various aspects of the driver to ensure they’re paying attention. During my time with the CT6, I went a significant amount of time without touching the steering wheel.
Tesla’s system is slightly different. After it debuted in 2015, movies commenced popping up displaying drivers climbing in the backseat while the car was driving. Because some people are idiots, Tesla had to implement a system to ensure drivers were still alert and part of that is requiring the driver to touch the wheel.
It feels like Cadillac built Super Cruise with these Tesla goofball movies in mind. Sensible safety checks are present via the system even however, in the end, drivers do not have touch the steering wheel at all to use Super Cruise.
Limited Availability, Extensive Safety
Super Cruise’s IR sensors tracks eye location and head movements. As long as the driver looks at the road every seven to twenty seconds, the system works as expected. The quicker the vehicle goes, the shorter this interval becomes. Essentially, if you’re stuck in traffic, crawling along at twenty mph, you’re less likely to make a mess eating a taco.
Let’s say a driver fails to witness the road. At this point the car uses different levels of alerts that escalate in severity. Very first, the light bar on top of the steering will begin to flash green and then crimson. If this doesn’t cause the driver to look back at the road, the seat starts to stimulate or an alarm sounds and the car starts to coast.
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Cadillac
- Founded 1908
- Overview Cadillac is an automobile brand that produces and markets luxury vehicles worldwide. Cadillac was founded by William Murphy, Lemuel Bowen, and Henry M. Leland in one thousand nine hundred two and is presently headquartered in Fresh York, United States.
- LocationDetroit, MI
- CategoriesTransportation, Automotive, Manufacturing
- Websitehttp://www.cadillac.com/
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Tesla
- Founded 2003
- Overview Tesla Motors was embarked by a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and strives to create a revolution and accelerate the world’s transition to electrified mobility with a total range of increasingly affordable electrical cars. Tesla vehicles are EVs (electrified vehicles), which are converting the way people drive and budge. Tesla has gone public as of June 29, two thousand ten and has a market cap of $34.32 billion. …
- LocationPalo Alto, CA
- CategoriesAutomotive, Electronics, Innovation Management
- Websitehttps://www.tesla.com/
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- Founded 2009
- Overview Uber is evolving the way the world moves. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through our apps, they make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers. From their founding in two thousand nine to their launches in over 400+ cities today, Uber's rapidly expanding global presence proceeds to bring people and their cities closer.
- LocationSan Francisco, CA
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If a driver fails to react to the previous warnings, the alerts go batty. A spoken alert will urge the driver to regain control of the vehicle. Meantime, the car had activated the hazard lights and is using onboard sensors to securely comes to a stop in its lane. A call is also placed to OnStar to see if the driver needs medical attention. If it comes to this level, Super Cruise cannot be reactivated until the car is turned off and turned back on.
These systems go after a logical order of operations. I attempted to break them during my drive in the CT6. Closing my eyes activated the system as well as looking away too long. It’s almost unlikely to miss the flashing light on the steering wheel. The alarm is noisy. However I didn’t test the final warning protocols, my practice tells me that a person would have to work hard (or be in genuine distress) to hit this level.
Super Cruise is almost a SAE Level three automated driving system, tho’ it’s still likely Level two technically for the purposes of regulatory compliance, given that it requires a driver to be paying most of the time. But GM won’t say specifically how they classify the car by SAE standards. Instead, during my time with a handful of Cadillac engineers and marketing executives, when pressed, they would downright thrust aside assigning a label. Instead, they said repeatedly that this is a “hands-free driving system for the highway”, explaining that most consumers do not understand the SAE levels anyway.
Cadillac built a fantastic system with the Super Cruise. Its next task is to sell it to consumers.
Super Cruise is unlike anything presently suggested for sale from the big three automakers. As such, it’s likely Super Cruise will be the very first autonomous system buyers will practice. Dealers will have to response slew of what-ifs and it’s significant to reminisce that Cadillac salespeople are not Cadillac employees. Tesla salespeople are employed directly by Tesla.
Cadillac has a large task of educating dealers and consumers alike about the benefits and limitations of Super Cruise. It won’t be an effortless task. General Motors will have to rely on independently wielded dealerships to correctly position this product and train buyers on its capabilities.
General Motors has packaging on its side. For better or worse, Super Cruise is built into the CT6 like a standard system and not something a driver must use every time they’re on an expressway. This should help timid buyers.
Super Cruise feels like a feature ready for the masses. The system is deeply integrated into the vehicle and using it is akin to using cruise control or turning on the lights. There’s a button for Super Cruise on the steering wheel. Press the button when the system is available and it works. It’s that effortless to turn a driver into a passenger.