General Motors is moving over resources from Ultra Cruise technology development to further development of the automaker’s Super Cruise system, thus enhancing the capabilities of Super Cruise over time. GM does not consider this to be a program cancellation, but rather a consolidation of its advanced driver assistance programs. GM clarified the situation following earlier reports that the automaker may be canceling Ultra Cruise.
As GM Authority reported earlier this week, anonymous sources within GM indicated to CNBC that GM was preparing to end the Ultra Cruise program. Following the report, GM reached out to GM Authority to clarify the situation.
“GM is not scaling back its advanced driver assistance (ADAS) programs,” a GM spokesperson told GM Authority in an emailed statement. “We have reallocated our ADAS-focused resources to bring even more capability to Super Cruise under one recognizable consumer brand.”
The spokesperson did not elaborate on the enhanced capabilities planned for the Super Cruise system. However, GM does not see this change as a program cancellation. Rather, the change sounds more like a consolidation of two teams previously working separately on the Ultra Cruise and Super Cruise systems, with the teams now refocused to evolve and enhance the Super Cruise system over time.
“Our focus remains on safely deploying this technology across GM brands and more vehicle categories while expanding to even more roads,” a GM spokesperson told CNBC.
Ultra Cruise was previously billed as the next evolution of the GM Super Cruise system, offering hands-free driving capabilities in 95 percent of driving scenarios on 2 million roads in the U.S. and Canada, covering a projected 3.4 million miles of road. Meanwhile, the GM Super Cruise system offers hands-free capabilities during extended highway driving on 400,000 miles of roads in North America.
To note, the GM Super Cruise system and GM Ultra Cruise system are completely separate from Cruise, the GM-owned autonomous vehicle technology company based in San Francisco.
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Comments
This makes good sense.
Duh! Two smaller wastes of money into one larger waste of money!
Hey Stan… How is this a waste of money? Have you ever in your life used super cruise? I think it’s a great idea if you can take your hands off the wheel for a while and let the car drive safely while still being able to take over of you want! I think a bigger waste of time and money is not offering Android auto in new GM EVs and these stupid ever bigger wheels and tires the new Tahoe is available with 24 inch wheels good luck replacing those tires I bet it’s a $3000 dollar bill.
I believe, if you find it necessary to take your hands off the wheel (and possibly your attention), you should consider pulling over in an approiate location to do whatever the reason you find it necessary to take your hands off the wheel. How is it you are going to maintain full and undivided attention to conditions so you would be able to “take over”? Hands free pertaining to phone use is so you pay attention to your driving. Will people who take their hands off the wheel letting the vehicle “do the driving” be maintaining full attention road conditions? Will they be in a position to immediately regain control of the vehicle?
Sounds like distracted driving to me.
Sounds to me like they realized reaching the claimed Ultra Cruise goals was going to cost too much. Everybody thinks this stuff is easy until they get into it. Personally I think this is a good move. I didn’t understand why they were down on Super Cruise in the first place. I have found Super Cruise on my Chevy Bolt to be very impressive, just not available on as many roads as I might like.
I bought a Cadillac XT6 specifically so I could have Super Cruise. It has been outstanding for 32,000 miles of road trips and suburban expressway driving.
I took delivery last month of a Cadillac Lyriq and again specifically got the Luxury 3 trim level so I’d have Super Cruise. Also one must get the Luxury 3 trim to get the rear mirror camera which is a must have.
The Lyriq version of Super Cruise is even better. More miles available. Automatic lane change feature is excellent. As well as lane change on demand. So far I love the Lyriq and taking my 2nd road trip this weekend. And for me , I want Super Cruise on any car I get. It’s a reason to buy GM. OnStar is a reason to buy GM.
I have SuperCruise on my Chevy Bolt EUV. Yes you have to pay attention as it can stop working and give an auditable sound and flash the red bar on the steering wheel.
I think it was consumer’s report that rated systems that check the driver’s eyes (SuperCruise and Blue Cruise) much safer than force on wheel (aka Tesla, et al).
Unlike drivers that look away to get a drink or snack, SuperCruise never takes its eyes off the road.
I think Super Cruise is great for snowflakes who leave home alone but still want “mommy driving for them”.
All of the negative Super Cruise comments are from folks who have never experienced the technology; they’re still in the ICE age.
Next thing you know they’re going to be merging with Tom Cruise 🤣🤣🤣
Krystal cane that might just be a good idea 👍👍lol 😂😂
I’ve read through many of the comments above. I was one of the guys at 16 standing in line to get my drivers license a long time ago. I have not yet used Super Cruise but plan on it as I plan my next vehicle purchase that will have Super Cruise for sure. i like to saltwater fish in South Padre TX and have a place there 375 miles from my house. It is 95% highway miles and the vast majority are currently covered by Super Cruise. I’m excited to think I can relax a bit versus the focus on the 5 1/2 hour drive that I make every month. i feel this will extend my ability to go down to relax at the beach and fish, so… yea, I’m excited as hell to get it, believe it will make my trips easier on my body and make the trips more enjoyable. I’ve always been a bit of a geeky technology guy and believe the people who do not see this as the future would have been the same one who did not see the need for horseless carraiges because they owned a good horse.