Cadillac's Super Cruise: Going Handsfree on the Highway

Text and photos by Emily Chung.

Cadillac has introduced Super Cruise, the world’s first handsfree driving technology for the highway. This system allows drivers to let go of the wheel (and pedals) on divided, limited-access freeways with defined on and off ramps. Essentially, ‘limited-access’ means that the freeways have controlled access, which include the provincial highways (e.g. 400-series highways in Ontario). Cadillac engineers have validated and mapped over 210,000 kilometres of highways and freeways in Canada and the US for the system. Hit jump for our hands on, or rather, hands off this impressive new autonomous driving technology.

The Super Cruise system differs from other driver assistance systems in that it uses LiDAR map data and a driver attention system to ensure safer vehicle operation. The LiDAR (light detection and ranging) map data utilizes a laser to survey the environment in order to generate 3D mapping data, which includes road curvature and geometry.

In addition to the LiDAR map data, the Super Cruise system also uses Ushr and Trimble to improve the vehicle’s location, and will identify which lane the vehicle is travelling in. Various sensor inputs allow the system to establish the vehicle’s ‘blue line’, its virtual travel path that is consistent with the vehicle’s centre line within the lane.

The Super Cruise system is easy to use. Once on the road, a white steering wheel icon will appear when the Super Cruise system is available. Press the Super Cruise button on the steering wheel and a green bar lights up on the top portion of the steering wheel.

Super Cruise is meant to be your partner in driving handsfree, which means you need to still pay attention to the road. For example, you will need take the wheel to change lanes as Super Cruise will not do that for you. The driver attention system monitors you with a ‘driver attention camera’ to make sure that you are paying attention to the road. This camera sits just above the steering column and recognizes your face.

If it detects that your eyes are not on the road, there will be a flashing green bar on the steering wheel to remind you to pay attention. If no response is detected the system escalates with the bar flashing red, as well as audio chime or haptic seat alert. The Super Cruise will disengage, and the vehicle will coast.

If no further response is detected, the escalation increases with a voice prompt, Super Cruise will disengage and be locked out, brakes will be applied, and OnStar will call to ask if you’re ok. The last escalation assumes that the driver has become unresponsive. Once the Super Cruise is locked out, it cannot be re-engaged until the next ignition cycle.

A note about the driver attention camera… if you decide to pull over and switch drivers without shutting the vehicle off, it will not recognize the second driver’s face so it assumes that the driver isn’t paying attention! During my test with the vehicle, I was speaking with a friend in the front passenger seat and the steering wheel flashed green to remind me to pay attention to the road. If you’re tempted to text while driving, this system is pretty good at catching you not paying attention to the road!

When you need to assume control over the system to change lanes, signal first and the bar will turn blue indicating that it has yielded to you. Once you’ve completed the lane change, the Super Cruise system will take over again.

What about inclement weather? We live in the great white north, after all. During my test, it was raining quite a bit and the system functioned well. However, it should be noted that if a key condition is missing (e.g. lane markers, blocked GPS signal, etc) then Super Cruise will not be available to the driver.

The Super Cruise system is available as standard equipment on the 2018 Cadillac CT6 Platinum trim and can be added on the Premium Luxury trim for $5,750CAD. This is excellent value as you also get other features including adaptive cruise control, Forward/Reverse Automatic Braking, 20” tires, and Magnetic Ride Control.

Cadillac’s intention is to have the Super Cruise technology available on all products as of 2020. Beyond 2020, it’s anticipating making the technology available to GM’s lineup as well.

All photos and videos on this press trip were taken with the Huawei P20 Pro.