GM has been working on making improvements to their hands-free driving system, and this includes the addition of an automated lane change feature. Certain Cadillac models, which include the up and coming 2021 Escalade are said to have this feature! We can see these vehicles to be available this coming second half of 2020.
The Super Cruise system
A better version of the Super Cruise is coming our way, and this includes an improved steering and speed control, which puts them in a competitive rivalry with Tesla's Autopilot driver assistance system. Talking especially about Navigate on Autopilot feature, GM has a heavy competitor since this is considered to be the most capable competitor on the market.
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GM's 2021 Escalde
The new and improved models
Certain models will be equipped with this upgraded version, namely the 2021 Cadillac CT4 and the CT5 sedans, which is followed by the anticipated 2021 Cadillac Escalade. It can be expected that if this goes well, we can expect to see this feature present in further future vehicles by GM.
What makes Super Cruise, Super Cruise?
With a combination of lidar map data, a GPS that is highly precise, good cameras and radar sensors, and of course, the driver's attention system, which makes sure that the person driving is paying attention to the road, Super Cruise has quite an impressive hands-free system. The difference between Tesla's Autopilot is that the Super Cruise does not necessarily require the driver to put their hands on the wheel at all-time but rather make sure that their eyes are looking straight ahead, which is more important.
The upcoming lane changer feature
Although the lane changer is a game-changer, the Super Cruise will still do their part and make sure that the eyes of the driver are still focused on the road, which is more important. Once the system is activated, the driver can proceed to activate the turn signal to show the software where the most desirable lane to change to is, and once it is deemed available, the vehicle will merge. There is also a gauge present with a display message that states the status of this lane change with notices like "looking for an opening" and "changing lanes".
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GM's eyes on the future
It can be observed that GM has been paying more attention to the digital vehicle platform. This also entails a larger electrical bandwidth and data processing power, which engineers are to add on to the current Super Cruise's abilities. The rear sensors and software which are responsible for tracking vehicles that are fast approaching the rear end of the vehicle are also a focus of GM, according to the chief engineer, Mr. Mario Maiorana.
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The Super Cruise to be used on highways
Highways are the best venue for hands-free driving as they are the safest compared to congested downtown driving. Highways are also one of the places where this feature is allowed. GM's Automatic driving system could really benefit from the automatic lane change addition.