General Motors is pouring tens of billions of dollars into new technology investment, including not only electric vehicle tech, but autonomous vehicle tech as well. Now, GM Authority spy photographers have spotted this curious Cadillac CT5 prototype which may be equipped with the right sort of equipment to enable the luxury sedan to drive itself.
As we can see from the photos, this Cadillac CT5 prototype has a large metal rack mounted to its roof, on top of which we see some kind of storage box flanked by two spindly towers. The towers appear to be sensor arrays, connecting to long cables that are fed through the windows into the cabin. This Cadillac CT5 also has a rapid “off” button inside the cabin mounted near the windshield, signifying that this particular model is indeed a prototype.
The last time we saw something similar was in February of 2020, at which time GM Authority spy photographers captured a Cadillac CT5 prototype with a similar metal rack holding a series of instruments obscured by black vinyl.
As GM Authority reported previously, GM’s semi-autonomous driver assist system, GM Super Cruise, recently underwent an update that added new features, including Automatic Lane Change and (if properly equipped) Trailering. At present, a range of different models offer the GM Super Cruise feature, including the Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac CT4, Cadillac CT5, Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, GMC Hummer EV Pickup, and GMC Hummer EV SUV.
According to a GM spokesperson, demand for the GM Super Cruise system has been strong since the introduction of the latest feature upgrades, and customer experience has been positive thus far.
Looking ahead, GM will launch Ultra Cruise as the next evolution of its driver assist system, offering autonomous driving capabilities in 95 percent of driving scenarios on upwards of 2 million roads in the U.S. and Canada. GM Ultra Cruise is set to launch during the 2023 calendar year.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac CT5 news, Cadillac news, GM Super Cruise news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
My guess is that GM will not bother with Ultracruise, or something even more autonomous, on the CT5 as that car will probably be phased out before then. They are probably using the CT5 since it has the newest VIP electrical architecture so can be used to test the latest stuff.
Cars are a personal thing and should be lived as such. I’ve been driving since my dad let me drive his Corvair at 8 years old and at 11 he let me drive him around in his ’63 Sedan DeVille. By the time I was 12, I was rolling the back roads in our ’48 Dodge truck and that sleek black ’48 Chevy Aero Fleetline. That’s over 55 years of interacting with our last bastion of human rights and freedom which is slowly being chipped away by those who think they know what’s best for us real car guys. Even at 66, I love getting in one of my hot rods, cranking up that gas-guzzling obnoxious beast, and banging gears while it speaks to me in rebellious tones. That’s real life. Allowing a computer to do the joys of driving is a sin. But there are humans who refer to let others think for them so there’s a market for this autonomous jive. NOBEY!
A lot of young people have better things to do than to go driving. When they must drive, AVs will be their preferred way. They will also be the people that get all cars banned except for electric AVs.
Don’t need it, don’t want it, won’t buy it.