gm super cruise lidar

• Autonomous Cars

GM’s Ultra Cruise will use radar, camera, and lidar to enable hands-free driving

The automaker wouldn’t reveal its lidar supplier, but it had more to say about the various sensors that will power its forthcoming level 2 driver-assist feature..

By Andrew J. Hawkins , transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.

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General Motors’ next-generation Ultra Cruise driver-assist system will come equipped with lidar as well as several other high-tech sensors designed to enable hands-free driving and cover “95 percent” of driving maneuvers, the automaker announced today.

In its first major update since announcing Ultra Cruise in late 2021 , the automaker outlined several of the sensors that will power the driver-assist system, including cameras, short- and long-range radar, and a lidar sensor. The vehicles will also come with an all-new computer to process the data input from the sensors, which the automaker previously indicated would include Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Ride Platform.

The lidar will be located inside the vehicle, behind the windshield and under the rearview mirror

According to a pair of diagrams provided by GM, the lidar will be located inside the vehicle, behind the windshield and under the rearview mirror, where other automakers typically install sensors for advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS). Cameras can be found on the sideview mirrors, short-range radar in the lower corners of the grille and rear bumper, and long-range radars underneath the hood ornament and beneath the taillights.

“This will give us a 360-degree view around the vehicle to enable us to expand this hands free driving capability to these larger domains,” Jason Ditman, chief engineer at GM, told reporters in a briefing Monday. Ditman also said that drivers would be able to use Ultra Cruise “across nearly every paved road in the US and Canada.”

Lidar, a key ingredient in autonomous driving, is a laser sensor that uses near-infrared light to detect the shapes of objects. This helps autonomous vehicles “see” other objects on the road, like cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, all without the help of GPS or a network connection.

GM first announced Ultra Cruise during an investor event in 2021, describing it as a massive leap over the company’s Super Cruise system , which allows for hands-free driving on mapped divided highways. In contrast, Ultra Cruise will cover “95 percent” of driving scenarios on 2 million miles of roads in the US, the company said.

“This will give us a 360-degree view around the vehicle to enable us to expand this hands free driving capability to these larger domains”

Now we’re getting more of a glimpse — albeit an extremely limited one — into the types of sensors and hardware that will be included in these Ultra Cruise-equipped vehicles. GM has said that the bespoke ultra-luxury Cadillac Celestiq would be one of the first vehicles to come with Ultra Cruise — but that vehicle isn’t expected to go into production until early 2024. GM hasn’t said which additional models will be compatible with the driver-assist system.

Taken all together, these Ultra Cruise-equipped vehicles will be some of the most advanced cars ever produced by GM. The company is also developing the Ultra Cruise software in-house, using its own team of engineers and coders. Notably, the company is not partnering with Cruise, its robotaxi subsidiary, with Ditman calling the distinction between the two “unique.”

Despite its enhanced capabilities, GM says it still considers Ultra Cruise a Level 2 system, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. At Level 2, the vehicle can control both steering and acceleration and deceleration as well as monitor blind spots and even change lanes automatically. But the driver needs to stay vigilant and keep their eyes on the road; if they don’t, the vehicle’s infrared sensors will detect it, and the system will send several warnings to the driver before disengaging.

Despite its enhanced capabilities, GM says it still considers Ultra Cruise a Level 2 system

Notably, that’s different from the Level 3 systems that Volvo , Mercedes-Benz , and Ford currently have under development. With a Level 3 system, a driver could theoretically take their eyes off the road under certain circumstances, like low-speed stop-and-go traffic.

That said, GM intends Ultra Cruise to be its answer to other current Level 2 systems, like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving beta system. Tesla CEO Elon Musk famously shuns the use of lidar to power his company’s partially autonomous features, calling the laser sensor prohibitively expensive and a “crutch.”

But as lidar costs fall, other automakers have embraced the hardware for its ability to render a 3D map of its environment and all nearby objects. In addition to GM, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz have recently announced their intention to include lidar in future production vehicles. And as Ditman put it, the decision to include lidar is less about money and more about safety.

“The choice of our sensor set was really not predicated around cost,” he said. “It was really predicated around what do we think is needed in order to safely deploy this type of technology.”

“The choice of our sensor set was really not predicated around cost.”

There is still a lot of research that needs to be done to fully investigate the safety claims made by automakers around ADAS features. There have been studies that show that the handoff between the automated system and a human driver can be especially fraught.

When people have been disconnected from driving for a longer period of time, they may overreact when suddenly taking control in an emergency situation. They may overcorrect steering, brake too hard, or be unable to respond correctly because they hadn’t been paying attention. And those actions can create a domino effect that has the potential to be dangerous — perhaps even fatal.

But Ditman argued that drivers need to feel confident, not complacent, about the ability of their vehicles to handle driving without their immediate input. “‘I’m not trying to drive complacency,” he said. “We addressed the inattentiveness with our driver attention system, so we don’t give you the opportunity to get complacent because if you do we’ll take the feature away from you.”

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GM’s New Ultra Cruise Hands-Free Tech Will Take On Tesla

The new hands-free driving technology will work in 95 percent of all driving scenarios, General Motors claims.

• The system will work on more than two million miles of every type of road in the U.S. and Canada, joining Super Cruise, which is currently available and only works on highways.
• Ultra Cruise uses a combination of cameras, radar, and lidar and has a 360-degree view of the car.

General Motors is adding another tier to its hands-free driving technology with its new Ultra Cruise system that it claims will work in 95 percent of driving situations. It will sit above Super Cruise, which is currently available and works on over 200,000 miles of highways across the U.S. and Canada.

Ultra Cruise will add to that number of roads, working on more than two million miles in the U.S. and Canada at launch. The goal is to reach more than 3.4 million miles, GM says. Its main competition will be Tesla's Full Self-Driving tech (it's not really full self-driving), which is still in Beta status and not widely available. However, Tesla's system can currently only be engaged on roads with lane paint, and GM says that Ultra Cruise can be engaged on subdivision streets, which would give it a leg up on FSD.

Ultra Cruise uses a combination of cameras, radars, and lidar; that last one is a big deal as it's the first case of this tech being deployed on a vehicle sold to the public in the U.S. Super Cruise uses lidar map data stored onboard, but doesn’t use a sensor. GM says the system's functions will show on a dynamic display, which will have a 360-degree view of the car. The system will follow navigation and speed limits, react to traffic control such as traffic lights (much like Tesla's FSD), avoid close objects, and, like Super Cruise, perform automated lane changes. GM says the system will improve itself over time based on real-world learnings and also can be updated over the air.

The system will adopt Super Cruise's driver attention camera that's located on top of the steering wheel column and tracks drivers' eyes to make sure they're paying attention to the road. We tested Super Cruise along with numerous other automakers' driver-assist systems and found that GM's system can be tricked with eyeball glasses and be engaged without a driver in the seat.

GM says that Ultra Cruise will be reserved for more luxurious models in its lineup, and Cadillac will introduce the tech in 2023, likely on the upcoming Lyriq electric crossover . Super Cruise will be reserved for its "mainstream models" such as the Chevy Silverado , which recently added the tech.

Sitting on the floor of the library and poring over issues of Car and Driver is one of Connor Hoffman's earliest memories. Choosing to attend the nation's top-ranked journalism school at the University of Missouri and graduating with a magazine writing emphasis was all part of chasing his dream of writing for Car and Driver. When he's not bragging about Mizzou having the best journalism program in the country, he's probably on a rant about Toyota trucks.

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What Is Ultra Cruise? Here's How GM's Hands-Free Driving System Works

A suite of advanced systems accompanies gm's driver assist tech.

• GM will debut the next iteration of its hands-free driving system, dubbed Ultra Cruise, on the upcoming Cadillac Celestiq.
• Here's what Ultra Cruise is, how it works, and how GM plans on rolling it out safely.
• Ultra Cruise will eventually replace Super Cruise in GM vehicles.

The General Motors Super Cruise system is a suite of advanced driver aids that, in certain circumstances, allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel if they keep their eyes on the road. Right now, this high level of assistance requires the equipped vehicle to be traveling on one of the 200,000-400,000 miles (depending on the model) of mostly highway roads throughout the U.S. and Canada that GM has already mapped out. The company wants to take Super Cruise to the next level, but what could be better than Super? Ultra, of course.

Ultra Cruise is the next step in GM's self-proclaimed "path to autonomous" and, like Super Cruise, it's designed as a Level 2 advanced driver assist system ( as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers ). The plan is for GM to start the rollout of Ultra Cruise on its upcoming $300,000 electric supersedan,  the Cadillac Celestiq . Other models will get the tech eventually, but GM is waiting for its next generation of products to open up Ultra Cruise to the masses.

How does Ultra Cruise work, and is it safe?

Ultra Cruise works on the same principles as Super Cruise. With Super Cruise, the vehicle's advanced safety features (including adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation and lane centering) tie into the navigation system, which then cross-references positioning information with GM's premapped routes. As long as what the nav and premapped routes agree (i.e., there aren't unexpected lane closures or the road hasn't changed since it was mapped) and the sensors agree it's safe, the driver can activate Super Cruise and take his or her hands off the wheel.

Ultra Cruise builds off Super Cruise with additional sensors (the most notable being the lidar unit behind the windshield) that feed information into an all-new computing system. GM uses sensor fusion (a fancy term that just means all the information is used at the same time) to create a 360-degree, three-dimensional map of the world around the vehicle. Here is a more in-depth summary of what each of these sensors will do, per GM:

• "Compute platform: This is the physical hardware that enables Ultra Cruise. The system will be powered by a scalable compute architecture featuring system-on-chips (SoCs) developed by American semiconductor company Qualcomm Technologies.
• "Long-range cameras: These seven, eight-megapixel cameras are located on the front, corners, back and sides of the vehicle, providing expanded fields of view for Ultra Cruise. They help enable the system to detect objects such as traffic signs, traffic lights, other vehicles and pedestrians.
• "Short-range radars: Placed on the four corners of the vehicle, these radars are used to help sense a radius of up to 90 meters, like pedestrians crossing the street or vehicles in surrounding lanes.
• "Long-range radars: The three 4D long-range radars on the front and back of the vehicle allow for Adaptive Cruise Control speeds as well as lane change maneuvers at highway speeds by helping to detect an object’s location, direction and elevation relative to the speed of the vehicle. They also help the system determine safe stopping distances.
• "LiDAR: The LiDAR, located behind the windshield, helps produce an accurate three-dimensional view of the scene, enabling more precise detection of objects and road features such as vehicles and lane markings, even in inclement weather conditions. Combined with other sensors, it can help create a robust perception of the environment around the vehicle for Ultra Cruise, increasing the system’s functional domain and performance."

The last part of the sensor array is the driver-attention system. There is a small camera that's located on the top of the steering column — right in front of the car's instrument panel — that uses infrared light to monitor the driver's head position and track the person's eyes. Cars equipped with Super Cruise currently have this tech, and it's a key piece in making sure the systems are used properly.

We can't say for certain that Ultra Cruise is safe, but according to GM, the deployment of this technology revolves around testing and validation, educating customers and working with local Departments of Transportation to take roadwork (which would naturally clash with premapped information) into account. One has to imagine GM will ship Ultra Cruise as a finished product, unlike Tesla, which labels its so-called Full Self-Driving function "beta," or not complete.

GM says the goal is to eventually "enable hands-free driving in 95 percent of all driving scenarios." Right now Super Cruise uses premapped highways and roadways to help give the system a clearer picture of what's around it at all time. We asked GM if Ultra Cruise will use the same mapping systems or if it won't need the mapping at all. A GM spokesperson told us, "Ultra Cruise will offer a destination-to-destination hands-free driving experience [...] Ultra Cruise will use the LiDAR mapping that Super Cruise has on more than 400,000 miles of highways, plus additional mapping beyond Super Cruise’s domain. Stay tuned for more details on Ultra Cruise’s mapping strategy." Which likely means even more premapped roads for Ultra Cruise when it does eventually make its way beyond the Celestiq.

Edmunds says

It might be a while, but cruising from L.A. to Tahoe with Ultra Cruise sounds pretty nice to us.

Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

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Cadillac Celestiq

• GM Super Cruise
• GM Ultra Cruise

GM shares new details of Ultra Cruise ADAS that will debut on $300K Cadillac Celestiq

General Motors has shared more details of the technology and future capabilities we can expect to see in its next-generation Ultra Cruise ADAS, which was originally announced during its GM Investor Day presentation last year. The technology will debut on the upcoming premium Cadillac Celestiq EV in early 2024, although the exact driver assistance capabilities deployed at that time remain to be determined. Here’s what we know so far.

Before we dig into the new details of Ultra Cruise, we should start with GM’s ADAS predecessor, Super Cruise. Super Cruise is a hands-free driver assistance feature introduced years ago that uses adaptive cruise control technology and connected services in each GM branded vehicle to navigate LiDAR-enabled map data using real-time positioning, cameras, and sensors.

The result is EVs that can control their own acceleration, braking, and automatic lane changes, but only on compatible roads. The American automaker continues to expand the availability of Super Cruise’s hands-free driving feature on roads throughout North America and has made excellent progress so far.

According to its latest annual ADAS rankings, Consumer Reports gave Super Cruise a score of 75 , second only to Ford’s BlueCruise ADAS – both of which bested the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. During 2022’s GM Investor Day, the automaker shared it was working on its next-generation of ADAS technology called Ultra Cruise.

When GM first unveiled its ultra-lux, hand-built Cadillac Celestiq sedan, we learned it would come equipped with the sensor and software systems to support Ultra Cruise, but those exact capabilities remained vague.

Today, GM has shared more details of the sensors that will comprise Ultra Cruise driving as well as the automaker’s expansion plans for capable roadways around the US and Canada.

Only premium GM EVs will get Ultra Cruise capabilities

At least to start, and as previously mentioned, GM’s plan to initially launch the Ultra Cruise ADAS on the Cadillac Celestiq remain on track, although it is highly unlikely we see the system’s full hands-free potential when the $300,000 EV makes its first deliveries in 2024.

The Celestiq will kick off GM’s lineup of premium EV offerings that will all come equipped with its new sensor suite and applicable software, but which model will follow the Cadillac remains a secret. We have learned the vehicles will feature over 20 different sensors including long and short range cameras and radars, LiDAR (GM wouldn’t share the supplier yet), and an advanced driver monitoring system to ensure the driver remains attentive. GM says the sensors are not redundant but instead fuse together to give full, 360-degree sensory coverage of a given EV.

Due to fact that the driver must remain engaged at all times, GM states the Ultra Cruise ADAS was architected as a Level 2 autonomous driving suite. That said, the company intends to increase the system’s capabilities over time via over-the-air (OTA) updates and expand the domain in which the EVs can safely engage.

When those capabilities roll out, including initially, it will be at GM’s discretion as its main philosophy is ensuring safe deployment and driver confidence in the technology’s capabilities. GM’s chief engineer for Ultra Cruise Jason Ditman spoke to a group of journalists earlier this week:

GM’s fundamental strategy for all ADAS features, including Ultra Cruise, is safely deploying these technologies. A deep knowledge of what Ultra Cruise is capable of, along with the detailed picture provided by its sensors, will help us understand when Ultra Cruise can be engaged and when to hand control back to the driver. We believe consistent, clear operation can help build drivers’ confidence in Ultra Cruise.

The keen focus on safe deployment means we may not see exactly what Ultra Cruise can do for some time. All that said, the Cadillac Celestiq will arrive with all the necessary hardware and software required to operate Ultra Cruise whenever GM feels it is safe.

Ditman told us that component-level testing is underway and all sensors are in the final stages of validation. GM vehicles equipped with Ultra Cruise prototype software are currently being tested at the automaker’s proving grounds in Milford, Michigan, while off-property testing is underway with drivers remaining in control of the steering. GM has yet to test Ultra Cruise hands-free driving on public roads.

The automaker states that Ultra-Cruise has been designed to eventually enable hands-free driving in 95% of all driving situations and will inevitably become accessible on nearly every paved road, city or suburban street, and subdivision in the United States and Canada.

The launch of the Cadillac Celestiq remains on schedule for early 2024 followed by GM’s safe deployment of Ultra Cruise at some point thereafter.

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Scooter Doll is a writer, designer and tech enthusiast born in Chicago and based on the West Coast. When he’s not offering the latest tech how tos or insights, he’s probably watching Chicago sports. Please send any tips or suggestions, or dog photos to him at [email protected]

GM's Ultra Cruise driver-assist tech employs 20 sensors, lidar

General Motors' Super Cruise hands-free driving feature for highways is already one of the best performing automated driver-assist systems on the market, and starting this year it's going to get better.

GM later this year will launch an upgraded version called Ultra Cruise, which the automaker has said will handle 95% of the country's roads , meaning many journeys, or at least parts of them, won't require any actual driving by a human. The system will debut on the 2024 Cadillac Celestiq , which enters production in December.

Like Super Cruise, Ultra Cruise will still require the driver to monitor things at all times and take action when necessary. Otherwise, it will shut down. This means it will still rank at Level 2 on the SAE scale of self-driving capability . To rank above Level 2, automated driver-assist systems need to function in eyes-off mode.

Nevertheless, GM says Ultra Cruise will recognize permanent traffic control devices, follow navigation routes, follow posted speed limits, perform both automatic and on-demand lane changes, perform left and right turns, avoid objects, and park in a residential driveway.

GM Ultra Cruise onboard computer featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon Ride Platform

Making this all possible will be a complex mix of software and hardware, including a database of highly detailed maps, powerful computing systems, and more than 20 sensors—one of which will be a lidar sensor mounted behind the windshield. A camera sensor will also watch the driver to ensure he or she is paying attention to the road and not nodding off.

All of the sensors will provide a 360-degree view around the vehicle, with the data to be processed by a scalable computer that then controls the vehicle. This computer, which will roughly be the size of two laptops stacked one on top of the other, will feature Qualcomm's new Snapdragon Ride Platform.

The computer, which according to GM has the processing power of several hundred personal computers, features a pair of Snapdragon SA8540P system-on-chips and a SA9000P AI accelerator. This combination will provide the necessary bandwidth for Ultra Cruise’s sensing, perception, planning, localization, mapping, and driver monitoring. That's a lot of tasks, all of which need to be completed in a fraction of a second, repeatedly.

GM says the computer can also be updated via over-the-air software updates, meaning it's future-proofed for further advancements— including perhaps an eyes-off system that GM has trademarked the name Hyper Cruise for but not announced.

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A Sensory Experience: GM Reveals Further Details of Ultra Cruise

By Carl Malek

GM has touted the benefits of its upcoming Ultra Cruise hands-free driving system, which will make its debut on the all-electric 2024 Cadillac Celestiq , since its formal announcement in October 2021. Today, the company provided a further glimpse into its capabilities, confirming the system will have a sensor suite that will allow it to have a full 360-degree view of the vehicle.

Related: ‘Super-Duper Cruise’ Didn’t Cut It: GM’s Ultra Cruise Aims to Elevate Hands-Free Driving

Ultra Cruise is an evolution of GM’s existing Super Cruise system , which has slowly trickled down in its lineup. (GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC in the U.S.) Super Cruise uses a blend of lidar, radar and camera sensors to tell the vehicle where it is while also allowing for hands-free driving on mapped sections of freeway.

Ultra Cruise stands out from its predecessor by adding a new computing system that uses data from more than 20 sensors to help generate a full 360-degree, three-dimensional view of the vehicle’s surroundings. GM calls this “sensor fusion” and claims Ultra Cruise can be used on more than 2 million miles of mapped roadway upon its introduction, with plans to expand an additional 3.4 million miles thereafter — a noticeable increase over the 400,000 miles of mapped roads that Super Cruise can operate on.

GM states the “destination-to-destination” system will eventually allow for hands-free driving in 95% of all driving scenarios. However, while Ultra Cruise is a step up from Super Cruise, it will still only offer Level 2 partial automation — the driver must still pay full attention to the road. The system will use an eye sensor to keep track of the driver’s eyes; if it senses the driver is distracted, Ultra Cruise will display visual and audio warnings before handing control back to the driver. This level of semi-autonomous capability is on par with most of what’s currently used in the automotive industry.

As the system evolves, GM says vehicles with Ultra Cruise will be able to receive over-the-air software updates for any enhancements. What it didn’t say is whether or not the company ever plans to retrofit Super Cruise-enabled vehicles with the equipment necessary to enable Ultra Cruise. Stay tuned for more.

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As Tesla's Autopilot Melts Down, GM's Cautious Super Cruise Looks to Win Out

In the face of Tesla's reckless, misleading Autopilot, GM's Super Cruise emerged as the more cautious, watchful system. Here's how it got there.

I just logged hundreds of mellow miles in a GMC Sierra Denali equipped with Super Cruise, convinced more than ever that GM’s hands-free driving tech is unsurpassed. How the worm has turned: While I was capital-C Cruising in New England, watching the Sierra pull off fully automated passes and lane changes with panache, Tesla was being spanked and sued by a California regulator for years of bad faith and broken promises over its Autopilot. The Cliff Notes version: Teslas still can’t drive themselves without human oversight. And I agree with experts who believe they never will (in current form), and certainly not safely, because of fundamental flaws in Autopilot’s design and philosophy.

Those flaws, and GM’s divergent approach — call it humanism versus hubris — trace to the origins of both systems. Beginning in 2014, Elon Musk defied a near-consensus among technologists in autonomy. Musk insisted cameras alone could create a fully self-driving car, thanks to near-magical software and reams of shared data from owners. Along with scoffing at redundant sensors, Musk rejected the need for a driver-monitoring system, despite growing evidence that keeping humans in the loop would be essential for safety. Keen for first-mover advantage, Musk pushed employees to make his vision a reality, despite deep misgivings from engineers who saw the literal blind spots. In October 2015, Tesla began equipping the Model S with Autopilot hardware. The next October, software was switched on to enable automated cruising, braking and lane keeping.

We know what happened next. The world was dazzled, if not bamboozled, by Musk’s increasingly bold promises of “full self-driving.” Shortly after its debut, Musk told reporters that Autopilot is “probably better” than a human driver. Within two years, he promised, owners would summon Teslas from across the country. Robotaxi Teslas would earn owners money as they slept. A credulous, slavering media seized on Autopilot as further evidence of Tesla’s insurmountable tech lead. Like the mythical flying car, we’d all soon be driving autonomous cars, and riding in sci-fi taxis with no garrulous dude up front. Roadway deaths and injuries would plummet. Seniors and the disabled would gain miraculous freedom. Parents would rest easy as their offspring attended proms and parties.

I’ll argue the root of that disillusionment traces directly to Tesla and Musk, who continues to overpromise and underdeliver on self-driving while letting his beta-testing customers sort out any mess — for a price of course. Surveys suggest the public mood has begun to sour over driverless cars: Pew Research found 44 percent of adults now view widespread use of autonomous cars as a bad idea for society, versus 26 percent who find it a good idea. (Men remain far more likely to want to ride in a robo-car than women, at 46 percent versus 27 percent).

GM, along with other legacy automakers, knows it can’t get away with Silicon Valley’s “breaking things” ethos, not without shedding billions of dollars in lawsuits or having cars recalled en masse. Fortunately, its driver-assistance tech — with zero claims to “autonomy” or “self-driving” — works as advertised.

That may be the best thing about Super Cruise, and a potentially revolutionary offshoot coming next year: They can make us remember when self-driving cars seemed like a great idea.

GM began working on the problem in suburban Detroit in 2013. Popular Mechanics honored the announced “Super Cruise” that fall. But in a familiar, sometimes frustrating pattern, it took GM four years to bring the tech to showrooms in the Cadillac CT6. GM had introduced plenty of innovative tech, often with great fanfare, yet its record of popularizing it had been dismal: The EV1, hydrogen fuel cells, Quadrasteer, Chevy Volt. Tesla’s vaunted Autopilot had beaten GM to market. Would Super Cruise be next in GM’s line of fizzles or failures? The pressure was on. Yet the tech’s creators, including then-Chief Engineer Jason Ditman and Mario Maiorana, stuck to first principles.

“The number-one thing was doing it responsibly, providing value to customers, but not at the expense of safety,” says Maiorana, now Super Cruise chief. One non-negotiable was an infrared camera to monitor facial position and eyes, ensuring a driver watches the road and can quickly retake control.

“We knew we wanted to be hands free, but we knew we wanted that driver-attention camera. It was always front-and-center of our focus,” Maiorana says.

In hindsight, it seems obvious, that these new systems — faith-based and fallible — still require humans to be active wingmen, without lulling them into distraction or overconfidence. Onboard Lidar maps provide another layer of vision and safety redundancy, geofenced to ensure Super Cruise only operates (for now) on divided Interstates with those minutely detailed scenes. The system’s light bar on the upper steering wheel rim was another illuminated stroke of genius, as I was reminded on my Sierra test: Flashing green, blue or red in various situations, the light bar greatly improves on the dinky-or-confusing IP telltales in some competing systems.

“It’s such a great indicator, properly placed to give a driver no confusion over who’s in control,” Maiorana says.

So what took so long? Maiorana said GM faced daunting challenges in fusing multiple sensors from varied suppliers with high-definition onboard Lidar mapping and software, all to get dead-accurate images.

The first, notorious fatal Autopilot crash in 2016 — in which a Tesla failed to spot the broad side of a blueberry-hauling semi — changed the equation again. Consumer Reports urged Tesla to disable Autopilot. GM took more heat when CEO Mary Barra announced the company would “step back” and delay Super Cruise’s planned debut on the Cadillac CT6 to 2017. Pressed for answers, Mark Reuss, GM’s global product chief, said, “It’ll be ready when it’s ready.”

Ditman recalls the intense scrutiny: “It all came back to, ‘ Was the system ready to deploy to customers in a way that inspired confidence to let go of that steering wheel? That can be a difficult thing to do.”

Here in 2022, GM’s caution has been vindicated, though the company has remained stingy in offering Super Cruise throughout its lineup. (I’d argue that, as a technological calling card and goodwill-generator, Super Cruise is potentially more valuable than a six-figure, low-volume Hummer EV).

General Motors customers have logged more than 34 million miles with Super Cruise. From my initial test in a CT6 in 2017, I can attest to that uncanny-valley aspect of trusting a robotic car. But a system that’s transparent and trustworthy imbues confidence. The latest iteration solves a major frustration with transparency, when Super Cruise would often disengage with no clue as to “why.” When the system does shut down in the Sierra Denali, the instrument cluster flashes reassuring messages: “Roadway Not Mapped,” or informing me I can’t drive hands-free in an exit lane. Ultra-accurate lane centering lets me sit back with hands crossed behind my head — I love seeing the look on other driver’s faces — while the Sierra threads the needle between semis at 75 mph.

That unerring path control is a clear differentiator versus some competing systems, including Ford’s Blue Cruise that I sampled in Texas on the F-150 Lightning. The otherwise-brilliant electric pickup often struggled to stay centered in its lane, and the system disengaged constantly, to the point that I lost faith in operating hands-free. For good reason, it turns out: Crossing an overpass on a busy San Antonio freeway, the Lightning lost its way entirely. The pickup crossed a lane marker and threatened to bash a concrete median, forcing me to yank the Ford back on path.

Fully automated lane changes are another new Super Cruise trick. (Drivers can still choose to use a manual turn signal to initiate a lane swap). Encountering a fast-lane dawdler in Connecticut, the Sierra checks over its brawny shoulder to make sure the lane is clear, flicks the turn signal, and executes a lane change smooth enough to satisfy a persnickety Driver’s Ed instructor. The truck sometimes slides back into its original lane, or sticks with a lane for a clearer path through traffic. It’s impressive stuff, not least in a loaded, three-ton pickup truck with restricted rearward vision.

GM just announced that later this year, Super Cruise will more than double its geofenced domain, to operate on more than 400,000 miles of North American roads. That includes two-way roads for the first time, encompassing some of America’s most epic byways, from the Pacific Coast Highway and U.S. Route 66 to the Trans-Canada Highway. The idea of doing “look Ma, no-hands!” through Big Sur on the PCH, the Pacific Ocean a semi-autonomous plunge away, raises similar concerns that Tesla has faced with its expanded Autopilot. Engineers insist the system will handle it.

“We make sure the maps and sensors are capable of what we’re asking,” Maiorana says.

The more-sophisticated system will recognize intersections and road crossings, yet keep those crossings entirely in human hands: It will alert drivers and disengage at least 350 meters before an intersection. To avoid annoying disengagements, engineers envision Super Cruise handling long stretches of two-laners, shutting down in towns with closely-strung stoplights, then allowing re-engagement beyond city limits.

The potential game-changer is called Ultra Cruise. A bit ironically, this all-new system promises much of what Tesla has failed (so far) to deliver: Hands-free driving on every mile of paved road in North America, from 42nd Street in Manhattan to a snowbound town in Alaska. GM says the system will autonomously follow navigation routes, react to stoplights and other traffic-control devices, make 90-degree turns, support close-object avoidance and even park in residential driveways — ideally without squashing your kid’s bicycle. Diagnostic and learning systems can identify tricky driving scenarios and trigger data recordings that can GM can process to continuously improve performance.

GM says Ultra Cruise will ultimately work in 95 percent of operating scenarios. (Still waiting for the autonomous car that can handle Times Square on New Year’s Eve). GM plans to launch Ultra Cruise next year, and limit it to “premium entries” for now. The system will kick off with 2 million miles of roadways, and eventually 3.2 million miles in the U.S. and Canada.

Where Super Cruise’s vision relies on the aforementioned Lidar map scans, Ultra Cruise will use new types of multi-modal data — details to come — to create an in-house map of some of the most obscure roads and outposts in North America.

“It’s not practical to drive a (survey) vehicle with a Lidar sled on it over every possible mile of roadway; that would take forever to do,” Ditman says. Fusing all those new sensors “will let us paint a richer picture of the scene and do all the maneuvers.”

Engineers aren’t ready to divulge the full suite of Ultra Cruise sensors, but a Lidar laser scanner is among them. The system definitely requires the newfound computing might of GM’s Vehicle Intelligence Platform and Ultifi — the slick software platform that debuts next year — to work its magic. Ditman notes that early Ultra Cruise prototypes were all Escalades, because “the compute box took up the entire cargo hatch behind the second row,” and required liquid cooling and a second alternator.

Now, “it’s the size of maybe three stacked laptops for production, and air cooled.”

The system will remain geofenced, and the company can turn off sections of road if there are any concerns.

“If you think it’s hard to get someone to let go of the steering wheel on highways,” Ditman says, imagine city streets clogged with pedestrians, or a rainy country road at night.

Refreshingly, in the wake of Musk’s more-Barnumesque claims, GM underscores that even cars equipped with Ultra Cruise won’t be “autonomous” by any stretch.

This is simply a more advanced form of driver assistance, one that still requires a sentient human at all times. For full-on autonomy, GM is still counting on its Cruise division, despite $5 billion in losses since 2018 as it tries to ramp up a robotaxi business in San Francisco.

Skeptics, including some driving enthusiasts, suggest tech like SuperCruise is the answer to a question no one was asking. Asked the ultimate point — especially since drivers must keep watching the road — Maiorana says Super Cruise frees drivers from the most mundane parts of the task. Among extensive feedback from owners, he says, many insist they’d never buy another GM car without it.

“Owners feel more refreshed, they feel more relaxed, yet they are still attentive,” he says.

After letting Super Cruise do the driving for about two hours of a boring run on I-95, I concur. These systems aren’t buzzkills, nannies or evil robots, determined to replace us.

They’re a useful tool, easing the burden anywhere that driving isn’t fun or rewarding. As well know too well, that describes too many of our modern hours behind the wheel.

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Home » Autonomous vehicles » GM Super Cruise Expands Map Coverage

GM Super Cruise Expands Map Coverage

Being a leader in hands-free driving can’t happen by standing still, and winning over more happy customers means expanding access to technology through both features — like available trailering1 — and drivable roads. GM has made extraordinary progress on that commitment and is adding an additional group of highways to its flagship hands-free technology GM Super Cruise, bringing the total to about 750,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) of compatible roads across the U.S. and Canada. Safely deploying and expanding access to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), like Super Cruise2, is an important step in gaining consumer trust and excitement around the future of transportation.

For perspective, 750,000 miles is like traveling one way from Earth to the Moon three times or taking a coast-to-coast road trip from New York City to San Francisco and back nearly 130 times. This new batch of compatible roads makes Super Cruise the largest truly hands-free operating domain in North America — nearly six times the coverage of other hands-free driver assistance technologies on the market today.

“GM is all-in on safely deploying Super Cruise as we make the technology available on more vehicles, more roads and for more people to enjoy. A key part of that is expanding the road network — in this case nearly doubling it again — with LiDAR mapped highways. High precision LiDAR mapping gives us an operating domain where we are confident in Super Cruise’s abilities.”– Anantha Kancherla, GM vice president of ADAS.

Our Approach to Safe Deployment

Super Cruise launched in 2017 as the industry’s first true hands-free ADAS on the market. GM has incrementally expanded its Super Cruise network, most recently to 400,000 miles (640,000 kilometers), to include major Canadian, U.S. and state highways. Today’s expansion adds minor highways that typically connect smaller cities and townships.

What exactly does that mean? Soon drivers will be able to drive hands-free between more rural towns across the country — connecting families and destinations alike. Adding minor highways to the network gives Super Cruise customers more variety and better coverage of hands-free driving, regardless of where they live, work or vacation. We expect this to excite Super Cruise customers, particularly those with compatible trailers who camp, boat, and use recreational vehicles. And adding Super Cruise with trailering to models like the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse or 2024 GMC Acadia will put Super Cruise in the hands (or should we say not in the hands…) of more customers with these passions — helping more GM drivers get to and from their destination more relaxed than ever before.

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Comparison: GM Super Cruise vs. Tesla Autopilot

In the not-so-distant past, the idea of a car whipping down the highway without a human at the wheel was the stuff of Jetsons cartoons and science fiction. Today, however, that vision is rapidly inching closer to reality. Car companies around the globe are in a heated race to develop autonomous driving technology , with some vehicles already offering a taste of this futuristic way of travel.

However, navigating this exciting new frontier can be tricky for potential buyers. Unlike a trip to the gas station, choosing a car with semi-autonomous features requires careful consideration. Each automaker has its own approach, resulting in a diverse range of systems with unique strengths and weaknesses.

Consider two of the biggest names in the industry: General Motors (GM) and Tesla . GM throws its hat into the ring with Super Cruise, a system it hails as "the first true hands-free driver assistance technology for compatible roads." This implies a high level of automation, allowing for extended stretches of highway driving with minimal human intervention.

On the other hand, Tesla equips its new models with Autopilot , a program designed to usher in a new era of driving ease. Both Super Cruise and Autopilot represent significant advancements on the road to full autonomy, but this duo raises the question of which system truly stands out as the most promising.

UPDATE: 2024/04/13 07:00 EST BY ANIEBIET INYANG NTUI

As the landscape of driver-assistance technologies continues to evolve, this article has been meticulously reviewed and refreshed. This revision not only guarantees the accuracy of the information regarding both GM Super Cruise and Tesla Autopilot, but also delves into significant developments and feature additions within these systems.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from GM, Tesla and other reliable sources such as CarBuzz and HotCars.

10 Things You Should Know About Cadillacs Super Cruise

Gm super cruise.

Just over a decade ago, in April 2013, General Motors (GM) first announced the development of Super Cruise , aiming to revolutionize highway driving with a semi-autonomous system. This technology marked a significant step on the path towards achieving fully autonomous vehicles, envisioned for the future of transportation.

Today, Super Cruise stands out as a Level 2 driver-assistance system, offering drivers a compelling hands-free experience on compatible highways. While it does not fully replace human driving, Super Cruise represents an "innovative" leap forward , making long-distance travel more comfortable and convenient.

The Technology Behind Super Cruise

Imagine cruising down the highway, enjoying the scenery, and letting your Chevy handle much of the driving for you. That's the promise of SuperCruise, a hands-free driver assistance technology for compatible roads . It's a sophisticated suite of technologies designed to enhance your highway driving experience while keeping you firmly in control.

• Sensor Fusion: Super Cruise seamlessly merges data from multiple sources to build a comprehensive picture of the driving environment. This includes high-resolution cameras for precise lane positioning, LiDAR mapping for detailed road information, radars to detect surrounding vehicles, and GPS for real-time location awareness.
• Automated Steering and Braking: Under suitable conditions, Super Cruise can take control of steering and braking, enabling extended periods of hands-free driving on compatible highways. This reduces driver fatigue and allows for a more relaxing driving experience.
• Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Centering: Super Cruise integrates these features to maintain a safe following distance from traffic ahead and keep the vehicle centered within its lane. This provides a smoother and more controlled driving experience, especially during long journeys.
• Super Cruise with Trailering: Even when towing a compatible trailer, Super Cruise can automatically adjust the following distances to account for the extra stopping distance needed .
• Automatic Lane Change: When encountering slower traffic on the highway, Super Cruise can assist with lane changes. With proper driver activation and under certain conditions, the system can initiate the turn signal, smoothly change lanes, pass the slower vehicle, and return to the original lane – all without the driver needing to touch the steering wheel.
• Lane Change on Demand: By simply activating the turn signal and meeting certain criteria, Lane Change on Demand allows Super Cruise to automatically check for an opening in the desired lane and perform a lane change maneuver without further driver input.

Why Cadillacs Super Cruise is Better Than Tesla Autopilot and FSD

The super cruise network is expanding rapidly, offering hands-free driving on over 750,000 miles.

Super Cruise has undergone significant expansion since its initial launch with limited applicability on approximately 130,000 miles of divided highways in North America. Since then, GM has diligently expanded compatible roads, with over 200,000 miles now available for Bolt EUV drivers and 400,000 miles accessible for drivers of other select Super Cruise-enabled Chevy vehicles .

Building on this momentum, GM says it is committed to further annual growth, ensuring that Super Cruise becomes an even more versatile driving companion. With such a vast and continuously expanding network of compatible roads, GM's Super Cruise is attempting to lead the charge in transforming highway driving into a more convenient and relaxing experience.

...we continue to look for ways to expand access to hands-free driving on more vehicles and roads for customers to experience.

- GM Spokesperson, Aimee Ridella

Super Cruise Availability Across The GM Family

General Motors offers its Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance technology on over 22 vehicles across its Cadillac , Chevrolet , and GMC brands. These include several Cadillac models: the Escalade , Escalade-V, CT4, CT4-V, CT5, CT5-V, XT6, and LYRIQ . Chevrolet offers Super Cruise on the Bolt EUV , Tahoe (Premier and High Country trims only), Suburban (Premier and High Country trims only), Blazer EV , Equinox EV , and Silverado EV . GMC equips the Hummer EV in both pickup and SUV configurations with Super Cruise.

Here's Why Tesla's Autopilot Isn't The Best Self-driving Tech Currently

Tesla autopilot.

Tesla's Autopilot system, unveiled in 2015 , marked a significant leap in driver-assistance technology. Arriving two years after General Motors started work on the Super Cruise, Autopilot promised a similar level of autonomy: Teslas could accelerate, brake, and steer themselves under certain conditions. While groundbreaking at the time, Autopilot's core functionalities – lane-keeping assistance and lane-centering – are now more common features in many advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) .

A key differentiator for Tesla lies in its broader Autopilot availability. Unlike Super Cruise, which is restricted to specific models and highway use, Autopilot comes standard on all commercial Tesla vehicles – the Model 3 , Model S , Model X , Model Y and the Cybertruck . This democratization of advanced driver-assistance features makes Tesla a leader in equipping its entire lineup with this technology.

Autopilot Utilizes Cameras, Sensors, And Driver Monitoring For Safety

Tesla's Autopilot system relies on a "sophisticated" sensor suite to navigate the road. Cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and radar work in concert to provide a 360-degree view of the vehicle's surroundings. This allows Autopilot to not only track lane markings but also detect and react to the presence of other vehicles on the road.

As Tesla prioritizes driver safety, newer Autopilot iterations incorporate a torque sensor in the steering wheel and a rearview camera to monitor driver engagement. Audible warnings alert inattentive drivers, and if these warnings are ignored, Autopilot will disengage and bring the car to a safe stop. Beyond the standard Autopilot features, Tesla offers two additional upgrade packages: Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability (FSD).

The Autopilot Packages Offer Advanced Features

Enhanced Autopilot builds upon the functionalities of Autopilot by introducing features like automatic lane changes for highway driving, navigating tight parking spaces with Autopark, and Smart Summon. Smart Summon allows drivers to remotely call their car from a parking spot , a feature particularly useful in crowded parking lots or narrow garages.

Tesla's most advanced option, FSD, pushes the boundaries of driver assistance even further . FSD equips Tesla vehicles with the ability to identify and respond to traffic signals through a feature called Traffic and Stop Sign Control. This represents a significant step towards true autonomous driving in controlled environments.

Tesla Is Developing Tech For City Street Autopilot

Additionally, Tesla is developing technology to integrate Autosteer functionality onto city streets within the FSD system . Tesla already has a beta test of "Autosteer on City Streets". This future iteration would mark a considerable advancement, allowing for a more hands-off driving experience on urban roadways.

However, it's crucial to remember that even with these advancements, Autopilot and FSD are currently classified as Level 2 on the SAE International's six levels of driving automation. This means that these systems are driver-assistance features, not replacements for a human driver.

Explained: Levels Of Autonomous Driving

Super cruise vs. autopilot, a battle of mapping and machine learning.

In the ongoing quest for autonomous driving, car manufacturers are constantly innovating driver-assistance features. Both General Motors' Super Cruise and Tesla's Autopilot offer a glimpse into a future where cars handle some of the driving duties.

It's crucial to remember that both Super Cruise and Autopilot are classified as Level 2 on the SAE International's Levels of Automation scale . This means that they are advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), not fully self-driving cars. While they can manage steering, acceleration, and braking under specific conditions, the driver remains ultimately responsible and must stay engaged at all times.

Map-Based Confidence

Super Cruise excels on pre-mapped highways. It utilizes high-precision LiDAR map data combined with cameras and radar sensors to meticulously maintain lane positioning and navigate compatible stretches of road. This approach fosters a smooth and reliable experience on well-defined routes. However, Super Cruise's dependence on pre-mapped data limits its applicability on unfamiliar roads or those lacking comprehensive mapping.

A Neural Network On Wheels

Tesla's Autopilot takes a different path. It leverages a network of cameras to capture real-time visual data of the driving environment. This information is then processed by a powerful neural network, enabling Autopilot to continuously learn and adapt to its surroundings .

This approach grants Autopilot greater flexibility in handling unexpected situations or navigating unmapped roads. Additionally, Tesla employs a crowdsourcing technique where data from all Tesla vehicles using Autopilot is aggregated and anonymized to further enhance the system's capabilities. This collective learning process allows Autopilot to constantly improve over time.

Beyond The Core Functionalities

The battle between Super Cruise and Autopilot extends beyond their core functionalities. Tesla's Autopilot offers additional features as part of its Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) packages. These features include automatic lane changes, navigating on-ramps and off-ramps, and even recognizing and responding to traffic signals (when equipped with the proper hardware). While Super Cruise offers some lane change assistance on compatible highways, it currently lacks the feature depth found in Tesla's advanced Autopilot packages.

GM Super Cruise Vs. Tesla Autopilot Feature Comparison

(Data sourced from GM & Tesla)

Deciding which system reigns supreme is an ongoing debate. Super Cruise offers a polished experience on mapped highways, while Autopilot provides greater adaptability and the potential for future growth through its reliance on AI and machine learning. Ultimately, the "better" system depends on individual needs and priorities. Drivers who frequently travel on well-mapped highways might find Super Cruise's reliability appealing.

Conversely, those who desire a more versatile system with the potential for continuous improvement might favor Autopilot. Both Super Cruise and Autopilot represent significant advancements in driver-assistance technology. As these systems continue to evolve, the lines between Level 2 and higher levels of autonomy may blur. It's an exciting time for the automotive industry, and both GM and Tesla are at the forefront of this technological revolution.

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Moscow (Russia)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Russia Rivers

Local Time 2024-04-21 21:48

Moscow is a Volga River cruise port, Russia's capital and largest city (population over 12,2 million, metro 17 million). Moscow City covers a total area of approx 2610 km 2 (970 mi2). By population, the city is ranked the world's 14th largest. Moscow is one of the Russian Federation's all 3 federal cities - together with St Petersburg and Sevastopol .

Being Russian Federation's capital, Moscow is a major economic, political, scientific and cultural center, as well as Europe's biggest city.

According to Forbes 2013, Moscow has been ranked as the 9th most expensive city in the world by Mercer and has one of the largest urban economies, being ranked as an alpha global city according to Globalization and World Cities Research Network. It is also one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world according to MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index. Moscow is the northernmost and the coldest megacity and metropolis on the Earth. It's home to Ostankino Tower, the tallest free-standing European structure; the Federation Tower, the tallest European skyscraper; and the Moscow International Business Center. 

Moscow is situated on Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia, which makes it the most populated inland city in the world. Moscow city is well known for architecture, particularly its historic buildings like Saint Basil's Cathedral. With over 40% of its territory covered by greenery, it's one of the greenest capitals and major cities in Europe and the world. Moscow is the seat of power of the Russian Government, being the site of Moscow Kremlin, a medieval city-fortress that is now the residence of the President of Russia. Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are among the several World Heritage Sites in the city. 

Moscow has 2 passenger terminals, North River Terminal (Rechnoy vokzal) and South River Terminal. The regular ship routes and cruises along Moskva and Oka rivers are used mostly for entertainment. North River Terminal (1937-built) is currently the main hub for long-range routes along the river. There are 3 freight ports that serve Moscow.

In late-July 2021 the city announced plans to incorporate a fleet (unspecified number) of fully electric passenger ferries into its public transportation network from summer 2022, the goal being to reduce the dependence on cars.

• The boats are designed with length ~22 m (72 ft), passenger capacity 42, modern amenities (Wi-Fi, USB charging points, tables for working commuters), spaces for storing scooters and bicycles.
• Moscow Transport confirmed that two routes (with max daily capacity ~16,000 passengers) have already been mapped out.
• Passengers will be able to pay via bank cards, the city’s Troika card (smart card for travel by any public transportation) or biometric payment cards. Those with monthly/yearly public transit tickets will use the boats at no extra cost.
• The new electric ferry service is up to 5 times faster (in comparison to other city public transports) and ~2 times faster than by car.

Moscow cruise terminal

Moscow's cruise terminal is called North River Terminal or River Station  ("Rechnoy Vokzal" / "речной вокзал").

The terminal was opened in 1937 and is one of 2 passenger terminals (the other being South River Terminal) of the city's river transport. North River Terminal is the main hub for long-range (including cruise) shipping routes. 

South River Terminal (above photo) was opened in 1985.

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