General Motors just announced Ultra Cruise, the automaker’s upcoming advanced autonomous driver assistance technology. Ultra Cruise promises true “door-to-door hands-free driving” capabilities in 95 percent of all driving scenarios, with plans to eventually make the system available on every paved road in the U.S. and Canada.
GM Authority was the first to cover the GM Ultra Cruise system, including a trademark filing made in September of 2018 for the Ultra Cruise name, as well as spy photos of early prototype models testing the system in 2020.
Ultra Cruise joins GM’s Super Cruise system, a semi-autonomous driver assist technology already offered on several GM models, including the Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac CT4, Cadillac CT5, and Chevy Bolt EUV. The fully refreshed 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 will also feature Super Cruise with towing capabilities. According to General Motors, Ultra Cruise will be offered on premium vehicles, while Super Cruise will be available on more mainstream vehicles.
Ultra Cruise builds on the success of Super Cruise with expanded features, including greater automated driving capabilities (both highway and surface streets), an all-new dynamic display providing users with relevant driver-assist experience information, permanent traffic control device recognition, internal navigation route following, vehicle speed maintenance, automatic and on-demand lane changing, close object avoidance, and residential driveway parking.
Ultra Cruise was developed entirely in-house, and incorporates a wealth of technologies for 360-degree perception around the vehicle, including visual cameras, radar, and LiDAR.
The new Ultra Cruise system also incorporates GM’s recently announced Ultifi software platform, as well as the automaker’s Vehicle Intelligence Platform (otherwise known as the Global B electrical architecture), thus providing continuous updates and new features for customers. The system is capable of sending information to GM’s back office data ecosystem for continuous system improvement.
Ultra Cruise is set to launch on select Cadillac models in 2023. The system will be available on more than 2 million roads in the U.S. and Canada at launch, with the capability to grow to 3.4 million miles shortly thereafter.
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Comments
GM is out for blood this week! GM is seriously poised to be a top contender in the EV game.
Jonathan – does UltraCruise equate to a Level 3 driver assist system or something more?
Also, in the last paragraph, you reference UltaCruise will work on 2 million roads with capability to expand to 3.4 million miles in the future. Should that say 2 million miles? Kinda using two completely different factors in your article and wanting some perspective.
it’s 2 million miles.
It says explicitly Level 2. I’d say this is the most advanced Level 2 system out there, but not quite full Level 3.
That said, if you use the system properly, it likely works just like Level 3 in most scenarios. It’s that 5% you have to be ready at a moment’s notice to take over.
The Cadillac CELESTIQ will likely be the first vehicle from GM to offer Ultra Cruise.
I hope the Celestiq is revealed at CES.
In February it was announced it would be shown in August/September.
Cool dude thanks for that info
Technology & Planned Obsolescence go together. I’ve done well on my GM shares in recent years, but I don’t think for a minute that GM will support older vehicles (think five years) with older technology like “Super Cruise” when they can now sell you an “Ultra Cruise”. No one other than a GM dealer will be able to maintain this stuff anyway. Watch your wallet.
It will be interesting to know if a vehicle equipped with supercruise can be upgraded with ultra cruise.
Probably not. Ultra Cruise adds liar and other sensors. It would most likely require a lot of mods to the vehicle.
I’ve been wondering how would this system handle construction zones? Would it disengage and require the driver to take control or continue semi-automatic operating.
Depends on the amount of construction.
If it’s to the side of the road, probably not. If it’s shutting down/moving a lane, it will warn and instruct you to take the wheel.
Just think the ’23 Escalade get Ultra Cruise, it will enhance the vehicle even further. Quite possibly, it will be a benchmark and new standard for flagship luxury SUVs.
Having had a ct6 with super cruise, I would far prefer they perfect super cruise driving first before adding this novelty at the moment. Give me highway driving without the need to pay attention, and something with traffic too. Driving through town that works 95% of the time? Cool but not that helpful.
You’re describing level 3 automation elements. Tech (and regulations) are not there yet.