General Motors’ hands-free driver assistance technology – called Super Cruise – is to be expanded to enable hands-free driving on a greater number of roads in the USA and Canada.
The expansion will be delivered free of charge via an over-the-air update in late 2022, for all new GM vehicles built on the company’s VIP electrical architecture with Super Cruise.
At present, the ADAS system works on mapped interstates. Following the expansion, Super Cruise will be able to navigate additional state and federal routes, which are a combination of undivided and divided highways.
When engaged, Super Cruise utilizes precise lidar map data, real-time cameras, radars and GPS to ensure the vehicle navigates the selected lane safely, and hands-free. A combination of all of the aforementioned systems – known as sensor fusion – works to keep the vehicle centered in the lane.
The smart solution is also capable of accelerating or braking to maintain a selected following gap. It can steer to maintain lane position, and on some models the system can carry out driver- and system-initiated lane changes when passing slower-moving traffic, or to move from a lane that might be ending. Super Cruise also keeps track of the driver’s head position and eyes in relation to the road to monitor attention.
Routes that will be available to drive hands-free following the update include The Mother Road – USA Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway – CA Route 1, the Overseas Highway – USA Route 1 and the Trans-Canada Highway.
“GM is all-in when it comes to accessible advanced driver assistance technology,” said Mario Maiorana, chief engineer of Super Cruise at GM. “We are adding Super Cruise to more vehicles than ever, and on more roads for more customers to experience. We are pursuing what we believe to be the most comprehensive path to autonomy in the industry, with responsible deployment of automated driving technology like Super Cruise at the core of what we do.”
