A Sensory Experience: GM Reveals Further Details of Ultra Cruise
GM has touted the benefits of its upcoming Ultra Cruise hands-free driving system, which will make its debut on the all-electric 2024 Cadillac Celestiq, since its formal announcement in October 2021. Today, the company provided a further glimpse into its capabilities, confirming the system will have a sensor suite that will allow it to have a full 360-degree view of the vehicle.
Related: ‘Super-Duper Cruise’ Didn’t Cut It: GM’s Ultra Cruise Aims to Elevate Hands-Free Driving
Ultra Cruise is an evolution of GM’s existing Super Cruise system, which has slowly trickled down in its lineup. (GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC in the U.S.) Super Cruise uses a blend of lidar, radar and camera sensors to tell the vehicle where it is while also allowing for hands-free driving on mapped sections of freeway.
Ultra Cruise stands out from its predecessor by adding a new computing system that uses data from more than 20 sensors to help generate a full 360-degree, three-dimensional view of the vehicle’s surroundings. GM calls this “sensor fusion” and claims Ultra Cruise can be used on more than 2 million miles of mapped roadway upon its introduction, with plans to expand an additional 3.4 million miles thereafter — a noticeable increase over the 400,000 miles of mapped roads that Super Cruise can operate on.
GM states the “destination-to-destination” system will eventually allow for hands-free driving in 95% of all driving scenarios. However, while Ultra Cruise is a step up from Super Cruise, it will still only offer Level 2 partial automation — the driver must still pay full attention to the road. The system will use an eye sensor to keep track of the driver’s eyes; if it senses the driver is distracted, Ultra Cruise will display visual and audio warnings before handing control back to the driver. This level of semi-autonomous capability is on par with most of what’s currently used in the automotive industry.
As the system evolves, GM says vehicles with Ultra Cruise will be able to receive over-the-air software updates for any enhancements. What it didn’t say is whether or not the company ever plans to retrofit Super Cruise-enabled vehicles with the equipment necessary to enable Ultra Cruise. Stay tuned for more.
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