Cadillac CT6 Super Cruise: Self-Driving Technology, Similar To Tesla's Autopilot, Releases This Fall

Cadillac is releasing a new model of the CT6 this fall with a “Super Cruise” feature that allows drivers to remove their hands from the wheel while on the highway and let the car take over. However, this feature has specific limitations that require a person to bring their attention back to the road if their hands have been off the steering wheel for too long.

Super Cruise is only available for use on highways. A set of cameras and infrared lights placed inside and outside of the car monitor the road as well as the driver. The cameras on the outside of the car observe the road and keep the car in the center of a lane going the appropriate speed limit.

There is a camera directly on the steering column that observes the driver at all times. If the sensors believe there has been an extended amount of inactivity from the driver, warning alerts will be engaged. A light bar on the steering wheel will illuminate, the seat will vibrate and audible warnings will be heard through the speaker system.

If the driver still appears to not be responding, the Super Cruise technology can stop the car and contact OnStar if necessary.

“Unlike other driver assistance systems, Super Cruise utilizes two advanced technology systems - a driver attention system and precision LiDAR map data - to ensure safe and confident vehicle operation,” Cadillac said in a statement.

Earlier this year, Tesla unveiled its Autopilot feature, which is similar to the Super Cruise technology. Autopilot can also take control of the steering and speed if the sensors deem the driver to be unresponsive and at risk of danger. However, the Autopilot feature is included on every Tesla vehicle and is not limited to use on highways.

The LiDAR sensors used on Super Cruise and Autopilot are almost eight times as accurate as GPS signals, according to PCMag. GM has every mile of highway in the United States and Canada programmed into its database. “American drivers travel twice as many miles on urban and suburban highways as they do on rural roads,” said Barry Walkup, chief engineer of Cadillac Super Cruise. Cadillac is deciding to utilize their technology for the most common type of driving before expanding it to all types of roads.

With the battle to develop the first self-driving car continues, companies like Cadillac and Tesla are bridging the gap with their driver assistance technology.