Ever wondered how hands-free driving on a highway would feel like? Well, the wait is over! Making its debut on 2018 CT6 is Cadillac’s self-driving system aptly titled Super Cruise. To display/prove the efficacy and self-sufficiency of their product, Cadillac chose to go a step ahead by taking these cars on a cross-country trip. Twelve (12) CT6 sedans featuring Super Cruise will traverse across 16 states plus the District of Columbia.
This version of the Super Cruise is designed to operate in a single lane and tackle limited access highway driving. The system is totally autonomous and doesn’t require the driver to constantly keep an eye out or rush to the controls like other self-driving systems in the market. The driver is at a liberty to assume the controls any time they deem fit and just as easily revert the control back to Super Cruise.
All this said, Cadillac’s Super Cruise doesn’t 100% circumvent the need of human intervention. Unforeseen circumstances like weather fluctuations and obstructions can compromise its accuracy. To ensure human intervention at the precise time (and that drivers don’t doze off) Super Cruise comes equipped with eye movement detection system. If it detects the driver’s attention is not on the road ahead, the system will issue a series of audio-visual warnings, which if go unnoticed will result in the vehicle coming to a controlled stop.
So, what makes Super Cruise tick? It’s an amalgamation of various technologies like GPS and LIDAR to ascertain the type of terrain and highway lane. The adaptive cruise control works to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, while lane-centering tech employs cameras for adherence to lane markings.