Cadillac Planning A Series Of Updates To Its Super Cruise System

General Motors and Cadillac are working together on a series of upgrades to the Super Cruise driver assistance system used by the CT6 and set to be introduced into the 2020 CT5.

Cadillac has been selling the CT6 with Super Cruise for a couple of years now. The system uses cameras, radar, and LIDAR mapping data to take over control of a vehicle on highways. Unlike many other semi-autonomous driving systems on the market, Cadillac’s includes an advanced driver monitoring system. This system consists of a driver-facing camera mounted on the steering column which monitors driver’s eye movements to ensure they maintain attention on the road.

Starting in 2020, Super Cruise will be updated and improved, Cadillac executive chief engineer Brandon Vivian told The Verge.

“The system that we have today, we continue to upgrade. We have over-the-air re-flash capability and you’ll continue to see us add features and capabilities to Super Cruise going forward.”

Vivian acknowledged that seeing Tesla continuing to improve its Autopilot system makes Cadillac eager to continue innovating and to step up its game to ensure its autonomous driving technologies match those of its rivals.

“We’re not going to share all the details right now but there are enhanced capabilities on their way,” Vivian stated.

Cadillac is able to track the number of miles its customers are driving with Super Cruise enabled as well as how often the system disengages and when the driver is forced to take control. The car manufacturer is also aware of some shortcomings of its system, including a recent discovery that direct sunlight in the driver-facing infrared sensor can cause the system to deactivate.

Additionally, Cadillac recently updated Super Cruise to display a message on the central screen informing drivers if the system is unable to clearly see lane lines. This update was made after Cadillac discovered that obscured lane markings can deactivate Super Cruise.