General Motors and its supplier partners have received a number of accolades for their work on innovative fuel-saving and 3D mapping technology at the Automotive News PACE Awards this week.
GM, along with supplier Tula Technology, received a 2019 PACE Award for the Dynamic Skip Fire technology found in the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 GMC Sierra.
Additionally, the automaker and software developer Ushr received a 2019 PACE Award for the high-definition advanced driver’s mapping that enables the Cadillac CT6‘s semi-autonomous Super Cruise system.
2019 Chevrolet Silverado, which offers Dynamic Skip Fire
We’ve delved into how Dynamic Skip Fire works in the past, but it’s essentially an advanced version of cylinder deactivation. It uses software to determine which cylinder needs to be deactivated to save fuel and balance the engine and closes off that cylinder’s intake and exhaust valves to prevent combustion. GM claims the Dynamic Skip Fire system can provide fuel economy gains between 5 to 20 percent.
Ushr’s 3D mapping system, meanwhile, is an impressive digital recreation of the United States’ and Canada’s highway network. To develop the system, Ushr drove every mile of interstate and highway in the U.S. and Canada (it also used a plane or very long, straight sections of road), and mapped it with a Lidar sensor. The result is a 3D mapping software with every relevant detail of highways, on ramps, off ramps and more baked into it. Needless to say, this system is crucial for Super Cruise to operate properly.
GM has invested in both Ushr and Tula Technology, which it sees as emerging, tech-minded and innovative suppliers.
With regard to Ushr, GM CTOÂ Jon Lauckner said previously:Â “Ushr’s HD mapping plays a critical role in assuring that Super Cruise operates as promised.”
“We knew at a very early stage that high-definition mapping was critical for Super Cruise and there were few companies who could provide reliable data and that’s why GM Ventures invested in Ushr,” he added.
Source: Automotive News
Like this story? Subscribe to GM Authority for more General Motors news.
No Comments yet