1968 Cadillac Deville on 2040-cars

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Cadillac Super Cruise gets system enhancements, more compatible highways

Cadillac is updating Super Cruise to make it available to use on more highways, and it will offer better performance, too. Previously, Super Cruise worked on about 130,000 miles of highways across the continent. This update expands that to 200,000 miles. That's because GM has mapped that many more miles to be compatible with its lidar mapping system. As for the performance update, Cadillac says there will be enhancements to the driver monitoring system. That's the key feature that separates Super Cruise from all the other systems out there, making it a truly hands-free experience. It's able to quickly tell whether your eyes are on the road, and it reacts accordingly. We asked for details about the improvements, but all Cadillac would tell us is that there are "slight refinements to the driver attention system to even more accurately detect driver attention." Perhaps it's related to reports of sun-related issues plaguing the infrared monitoring camera. We can't tell you for sure. As for the extra miles, Cadillac says some added highways now include limited intersections and traffic control devices. Basically, there may be a stoplight or some cross traffic thrown into the mix now. Since GM has actually gone and mapped these areas, the car will tell you to take back control when approaching a railroad crossing, pedestrian crossing, stoplight or stop sign. Cadillac included a map (above) depicting the original and new Super Cruise compatible highways. You'll notice there are a lot more highways in the midwest and southeast, in addition to almost being able to cross the entirety of Canada now. Things are still a bit sparse in the western part of the country, but there aren't as many highways out there anyway. Owners of 2018 and 2019 Cadillac CT6s can expect to get the upgrade, but it's not as easy as you may think. Folks will have to take their CT6 in to the Cadillac dealer, where the "system enhancement" will take place. However, that enhancement doesn't include the additional miles. Cadillac says that update will be sent out over-the-air throughout the summer and fall. Updates for Super Cruise seem to be coming out with regularity. Last year Cadillac updated the system for easier activation, better lane placement (for passing large vehicles) and added gauge cluster messages for more information. We happen to love using the technology here at Autoblog, and gave it our 2019 Technology of the Year award.

GM to accelerate its EV strategy — Cadillac could be all-electric by 2025

General Motors will roll out details of an expanded and accelerated electric vehicle strategy on Thursday in an effort to convince investors it can be a serious competitor to Tesla, people familiar with the plans said. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra, who is scheduled to speak at a conference hosted by Barclays, is expected to say the automaker is ready to spend more on electric models by 2025 than the $20 billion previously outlined, the sources said. Supplier sources said previous plans to make the Cadillac brand all-electric by 2030 are being sped up, possibly to 2025, and other sources said that acceleration will be repeated in other brands and in segments such as commercial vans. Asked about the Thursday appearance, a GM spokeswoman called talk of increased spending speculative and declined to give details. The Detroit automaker is also expected to discuss a new timeline for many of the EVs to follow those already identified, such as the GMC Hummer EV pickup and Cadillac Lyriq crossover, people familiar with the plans said. Lyriq (shown above) is slated to go into production in late 2022, but GM officials have been stung by criticism the automaker was bringing the vehicle to market too late, one source said. "The pull-ahead in programs is real and the organization is really doubling down on speeding up product development," the source said. Barra and other GM executives have been signaling the automaker's EV acceleration plans. She said earlier this month GM would boost capital spending over the next three years to speed EV development and was talking with other automakers about partnerships to develop more vehicles using GM's battery technology. Last week, a GM executive said the company had pulled forward the rollout of two "major" EV programs, and GM officials have touted the faster 18-month development time for the Hummer truck. Tesla's soaring market capitalization, and growing pressure from regulators to phase out carbon-emitting engines, has put pressure on established automakers to respond to investors who view their internal combustion lineups as outmoded and doomed in the long run. A critical part of GM's pitch to investors has been its new Ultium batteries, which it estimates will offer an electric driving range of 400 miles or more on a single charge. It is building a battery plant with Korean battery maker LG Chem in northeast Ohio.

Akerson says Cadillac will get a larger sedan within two years

It seems that during a recent affair showing off the 2014 Cadillac CTS, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson confirmed reports regarding a new Cadillac flagship sedan. According to USA Today, which Akerson was visiting, he said that a sedan larger than the XTS would debut within the next two years.
This matches up with what we heard earlier in the month about a Cadillac model that will go up against the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (not a pricier, low-volume sedan also discussed in that article). But this is the first time a high-profile executive name has been attributed to such a report, and the first time a broad timeframe has been mentioned. This article adds that the unnamed car will be rear-, and all-wheel drive with a platform "loosely based" on the new CTS, with styling closer to that car than recent Cadillac concept vehicles. The XTS will continue production of course, as well.