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Super Cruise will make 2018 Cadillac CT6 semi-autonomous

General Motors has been working on its semi-autonomous driving system for years. Called Super Cruise, it had initially been slated for a fall 2016 debut. Of course, something as critical to safety as a self-driving system should ideally have the bugs worked out before putting it in the hands of customers, and the launch date had to be pushed back. It appears that Super Cruise is road-ready now, as Cadillac has announced the system will be available in the 2018 CT6 sedan when it goes on sale this fall. Super Cruise offers hands-free driving on the highway, taking control of steering and speed under the supervision of the driver. An attention detection system – a camera and infrared lights that track head position – ensures that the driver is paying attention and is available to take over driving responsibilities. If needed, Super Cruise will initiate a series of nags, including a flashing light bar on the steering wheel, to regain the driver's attention. If the driver is unresponsive, the system can bring the car to a safe stop and use OnStar to call first responders. The system employs a suite of sensors, cameras, and GPS, as well as precision lidar-scanned map database, to place the car where it needs to be on the road and in the center of its lane. It only works if the sensors detect appropriate road conditions, and is limited to the more predictable terrain of divided highways with on- and off-ramps. Yes, it's limited, but safety is paramount, and drivers who spend a lot of time on the highway will appreciate the convenience nonetheless. Related Video:

Next Cadillac Escalade interior will have Mercedes-like screens

Not too long ago, we thought we got a glimpse at the next-generation Cadillac Escalade's interior. But as we have learned from the spy photographer who took it, those are actually for a different full-size GM SUV, probably the GMC Yukon. How can we know this? Well, that same photographer caught this SUV, and it has a fancier interior and a key Cadillac interior piece that proves this is actually the Cadillac interior. The big difference with this interior is the instrument cluster and infotainment system. The previous SUV we saw had a pretty conventional interior with plenty of buttons, a screen at the top of the center stack, and an instrument cluster under a plastic hood. On this presumed Cadillac SUV, it has one large monolith containing screens for instruments and infotainment. It's very much like what you'll find in Mercedes-Benz models. Unlike in Mercedes cars, this bank of screens appears to have some curve to it, orienting everything toward the driver. Besides the fancy screens that point to Cadillac, the shifter also clinches this as the Cadillac interior. It's the same monostable lever found in the latest Cadillacs such as the XT6 and CT5. Much of the rest of the interior has been pretty well covered. But we can tell that Cadillac is using some nice wood trim that appears to stretch across the dashboard. The dash itself also looks as though it will be rather low and minimalist. Like past Escalades, this will probably share most of its mechanicals with the Tahoe/Suburban, meaning it too will be making the long overdue switch to independent rear suspension. It will also likely continue to offer the 6.2-liter V8 and 10-speed automatic transmission as the only powertrain choice. We should see the new SUVs in the next couple of years.

Super Cruise will feature in 22 GM nameplates by 2023

Super Cruise, the semi-autonomous hands-free driving technology that first appeared on the 2018 Cadillac CT6, was always intended to broaden out to more GM models, especially now that CT6 production has ended, but now we have specific numbers. Automotive News reports that GM will have it on 22 nameplates by 2023. GM President Mark Reuss spilled the beans to investors at the company’s Capital Markets Day presentation, saying that Super Cruise will start appearing in brands beyond Cadillac in 2021. GM just last week announced the first big update for its driver-assist technology late last month, saying it would be coming to the 2021 CT5, CT4 and Escalade full-size SUV, all of which should debut later this year. Next year weÂ’ll see it offered as an option on seven more nameplates, then a dozen more in 2022 and 2023, Reuss said. The next generation of the technology will come with a new feature called “Lane Change on Demand,” which will allow the driver to activate or tap the turn signal and the car to do a hands-free lane change if itÂ’s safe to do so, and so long as the driver monitor system can tell the driver is paying attention. ItÂ’s also said to feature improved performance and hands-free dynamics, a better user interface and software tweaks, among other upgrades. Super Cruise uses a camera and infrared light to detect whether the driver is paying attention, plus radar, cameras and lidar mapping to center the vehicle in a highway lane and drive in hands-free mode in optimal scenarios. ThereÂ’s no immediate word on whether the upcoming next-generation version will also come with an expanded network of compatible highways beyond the 200,000 miles where the technology is currently capable of being deployed. Autoblog named Super Cruise the 2019 Technology of the Year winner. Related Video:     Cadillac GM Emerging Technologies