Cadillac now has a model that can be driven all alone… or almost

Cadillac

Frédéric Mercier

Tuesday, January 30, 2018 13:53

UPDATE
Tuesday, January 30, 2018 13:53

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The autonomous car is on everyone’s lips in the automotive world.

Almost all of the builders dream to become the first to offer a vehicle that can move from point A to point B without the intervention of a driver. And even if it is not there yet, force is to admit that it is more plausible.

To the point where some automotive brands now have the modes of conduct “semi-autonomous” which allow a vehicle to assist the driver in his movements, especially on the highway.

With his system, Super Cruise, Cadillac is part of the batch.

Cadillac

Even if they can theoretically move on the highway without a problem thanks to the cameras that detect the lines on the road surface and a speed regulator that adapts to the nearby vehicles, the majority of these systems continue to require constant attention of the driver.

At Nissan or Mercedes-Benz, to name a few, the system of autonomous control will cease to function if it detects that your hands do not touch the steering wheel for a few seconds.

At Cadillac, we decided to go with an approach a bit more direct. As long as the system Super-Cruise is able to operate, it leaves the driver in the plan and takes care of everything. Not even need to touch anything.

On the highway, a little green icon representing a steering wheel that lights up on the dashboard, indicating to the driver that Super Cruise is ready to take control. Not enough to press on a button using the same symbol to the left of the steering wheel, and the turn is played.

Cadillac

Always at the wheel, a green bar appears on the upper part, confirming that the driver can leave his car to do the job.

Cadillac

Anxious to avoid sad incidents, Cadillac engineers have found a way to ensure that the driver remains attentive to what is happening on the road, even when Super Cruise is activated.

Instead of doing as other manufacturers and the use of the pressure exerted on the wheel to measure attention, Cadillac has instead installed a small camera on the dashboard, just in front of your face.

Cadillac

If the system detects that the driver is not attentive enough, the green light on the wheel changes to red and a message on the dashboard order to regain control of the car. The left front seat also starts to vibrate. Impossible to ignore.

Cadillac

And if, by misfortune, the driver cannot regain control because he is suffering from an ailment or because it is simply asleep, the vehicle will slow down gradually until coming to a complete stop and contact even emergency services through OnStar.

The joys of winter

For now, the CT6 2018 is the only model of Cadillac to make the Super Cruise in Canada. And as long as to put it to the test, I took the opportunity to do so in the open during the winter, on the roads of Quebec.

During the first week, the weather was so chaotic and roads so snowy that I never glimpsed the symbol of a steering wheel indicating the availability of Super Cruise. From Montreal to Quebec city, on a motorway yet is fairly linear, the system of the Cadillac remained silent. Unusable.

A few days later, on the way back to Montreal, I was finally able to put everything to the test. The plows had had time to do their work, and the lines on the pavement of highway 40 were finally visible.

During tens of kilometres, the CT6 has stayed the course, allowing me to relax a little along this journey of three hours. Keeping the eyes straight ahead, obviously. However, Super Cruise is not making lane changes by itself. If you want to exceed, so, not the choice to regain control of the steering wheel. Rather disappointing, for a system of this size. Especially when you realize that Mercedes has done for the past few years already.

Apart from this small inconvenience, the system is really working well. I love to drive and I’m not particularly a fan of all of these technologies to replace the driver. Except that on the 40, I admit that I sometimes find the long time.

I also happened a couple of times of having to regain control of the approach curves are too pronounced or when the car is approaching a stretch of road complicated by a few exits. Rest with Super Cruise, General Motors proves that it is serious in his efforts for a future where the driver will be more and more attended… and even replaced.

You can expect to see this driving system, semi-autonomous develop over the next few years. But most importantly, and this is where it gets interesting, you can expect it to become available soon in other models that are more affordable at Cadillac, and even among the other brands of General Motors.

This is the future, it seems.