LOOK MA, NO HANDS! HERE COMES CADILLAC SUPER CRUISE - AUTOLINE AFTER HOURS 423

EV Channels Review

This episode of Autoline After Hours features an in-depth discussion with Jason Dittmar, Chief Engineer for Cadillac Super Cruise. The conversation highlights Super Cruise as a sophisticated, hands-free highway driving system, emphasizing its advanced sensor fusion, HD mapping, and driver monitoring capabilities. Key strengths include its smooth operation in traffic, precise lane centering (dubbed the 'blue line'), and automatic speed reduction for curves. The system's driver attention monitoring, which uses infrared emitters to see through sunglasses and track eye movement, is particularly praised for its effectiveness and subtlety compared to competitors. While the system is currently exclusive to the Cadillac CT6, an expansion to other Cadillac models starting in 2020 was announced, with plans for broader GM adoption. Challenges and limitations discussed include its reliance on GPS, inability to operate in tunnels or poor weather/lane marking conditions, and the driver's ultimate responsibility for attention and intervention, especially in construction zones. The discussion also touches on the system's evolution, including over-the-air map updates and improved messaging, and addresses common questions about its comparison to Tesla's Autopilot, its role in GM's broader autonomous vehicle strategy, and its potential cost implications for future applications.