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2022 GMC Sierra Super Cruise First Drive | Now with trailering and automatic lane-changing

Although the updated late-model year 2022 GMC Sierra is still a little ways off (In fact, it hasn't even been revealed), we've had an opportunity to try one of its headlining features: Super Cruise. But it's not quite the Super Cruise you know from the current Cadillac line. The new Sierra will be getting a newer version with two features: the ability to execute lane changes and passes automatically, and the ability to operate with a trailer. We tried the system at GM's proving grounds in Milford, Mich., and our test vehicles were 2022 Sierra prototypes. Though the trucks themselves are early examples with features not finalized, GMC representatives said the Super Cruise system is pretty much finished. The system uses close and long-range radar sensors at the front and a new set of radar sensors at the back, plus the truck's various cameras. It also utilizes the mapping data that GM has accumulated for the system to ensure it operates on approved roads and has detailed information about where the car is. Now, the first new feature enabled by the updated Super Cruise is the automatic lane-change system. The current system can change lanes on its own, but it must be prompted by a press of the turn signal. That feature remains intact, but now, if you approach a slower vehicle on a multi-lane highway, Super Cruise can check the lane next to you to see if it's safe to merge, change lanes, and then return to the original lane once the slow-moving vehicle has been passed. This is where those rear radar sensors come in. We tried it three times on GM's big banked oval course, and it did it impressively smoothly. It was able to make the decision proactively, too, making the decision to change a good distance before we were on top of the slow moving car. Oh, and of course, because this is Super Cruise, it all happened without us having to touch the wheel. Our automatic lane change test was followed by trying Super Cruise with a trailer. Now, it's important to note that the automatic lane-changing functionality won't work with a trailer. This is because that function depends on a set of radar systems at the back of the truck that are blocked by a trailer. Apart from that, the rest of Super Cruise's functions still work just fine. To make this possible (and safe), the system is able to estimate the weight of the trailer and adjust following distance accordingly, allowing it to safely slow down as needed.

GMC Hummer EV will weigh 9,046 pounds

In the 2000s, Hummer's unique breed of off-roaders summoned a dark cloud of disapproval from environmentalists because they were gas-guzzling SUVs with mammoth dimensions. GMC's born-again Hummer EV will escape the gas guzzler label by running solely on electricity, but it will be even bigger and much heavier than its predecessors. Enthusiast site GM-Trucks reported the Hummer EV will tip the scale at 9,046 pounds (4,103 kilos if you're outside of the United States) in its quickest configuration, and a GMC spokesperson told Autoblog that figure is accurate. For context, the H1 Alpha released for 2006 (and often considered the ultimate Hummer) weighed 8,113 pounds, the H2 checked in at 6,614 pounds with the 6.2-liter V8, and the H3 was comparatively light at 4,600 pounds. When it lands, the Hummer EV will be one of the heaviest new cars sold in the United States. Part of its plumpness can be attributed to its colossal dimensions; it measures 216.8 inches long, 86.7 inches wide, and 81.1 inches tall. In comparison, the H1 stretched 185 inches long, 87 inches wide, and about 78 inches tall. The electric powertrain also played a major role in slinging the Hummer's weight into dually pickup territory. Batteries are heavy, and the Hummer EV's Ultium pack reportedly has a capacity of over 200 kilowatt hours. It has three electric motors, too. Note the 9,046-pound figure applies only to the sold-out Launch Edition model, which will offer 1,000 horsepower, the aforementioned 200-kilowatt battery, and the supercar-like ability to hit 60 mph from a stop in three seconds. GMC will launch cheaper, slower, and presumably considerably lighter variants of the truck in the early 2020s. Although SUVs are often heavier than comparable trucks due to the additional sheet metal, the people-hauling Hummer should weigh less than the cargo-carrying variant. As we reported in April 2021, its output will be limited to 830 horsepower because it's 20 inches shorter than the truck, and the bigger battery pack doesn't fit in this footprint.

GM able to add diesel to half-ton pickups if market demands it

A few years ago, the trend in half-ton pickup trucks was ultra-luxurious trims, often with the words "limited" or "platinum" tacked on after the model name. That was well and good, but we like this latest fad a lot more - diesel engines. First, Ram came to bat with a 3.0-liter, V6 turbodiesel for the 1500, then Nissan announced that the next-generation Titan would be getting an eight-cylinder Cummins diesel.
Now, word is coming in from AutoGuide that General Motors can, if it so chooses, drop a diesel engine into its light-duty trucks. The plot thickens, though, as it turns out that said diesel would be the same one Ram is using for its truck. According to AG, that engine comes from VM Motori, which GM owns a sizable chunk of. Therefore, GM can snag the 3.0-liter, V6 diesel for its trucks just as easily, if not more easily, than Ram.
If it's so easy for the Detroit-based manufacturer to access the engines, why not offer the a diesel-powered Sierra and Silverado from the start, then? According to GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson, The General doesn't seem so confident in a diesel pickup outside of its HD offerings. According to Wilkinson, the cost-benefit ratio doesn't line up for customers, thanks to both the impact on the truck's sticker price and the higher price of diesel, in general (the national average for a gallon of diesel is 43 cents more than a gallon of 87-octane unleaded).