- we already knew that 2021 cadillacs were going to be offered with the super cruise driver-assistance system, which first launched in 2017 on the cadillac ct6.
- now we've learned the hands-free system is rolling out to 22 general motors products by 2023, according to gm president mark reuss.
- the system relies on high-definition maps, sensors, and in-car monitoring of the driver.
gm is finally expanding its hands-free super cruise driver-assist system beyond the cadillac brand. according to gm president mark reuss, the feature will be available as an option on 22 vehicles by 2023, with seven vehicles getting the feature next year and 12 more in 2022 and 2023. this, it goes without saying, is a huge expansion of the system that will bring it to a much wider customer base.
automotive news reports that reuss announced the news during the automaker’s capital market day presentation. the math of the rollout doesn’t quite add up. reuss stated that 22 vehicles would get the feature but only announced the timetable of 19 nameplates during the presentation. but we're expecting that the remaining three vehicles will get super cruise sometime in 2023.
in whatever order it rolls out, this is clearly a smart move on gm's part to finally expand the system beyond its luxury brand. developing an advanced driver-assist system on the order of super cruise is incredibly expensive, and to limit it to one brand limits the return on investment of all that work.
super cruise is a true hands-free system that uses high-definition maps, sensors watching the road, and an in-car monitoring system to make sure the driver is paying attention. while you don't have to hold the steering wheel, you do have to watch what's going on; otherwise, the system will alert you to watch the road. essentially it's a "keep your eyes forward and hands in your lap" deal.
super cruise launched in 2017 on the ct6 (rip). recently cadillac announced that the system would be available on the new ct4, ct5, and recently unveiled 2021 escalade with an automatic lane-changing feature. the latest version of the suite requires updated software and hardware as part of gm's new digital vehicle platform. so ct6s with super cruise will not be receiving an update for automated lane changes.