The next step toward autonomous driving comes in the Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise, which allows you to take your eyes off the task of driving.
GM’s making waves with its Escalade IQ electric SUV. It’s getting Ultra Cruise, which is a big deal because you can take your hands off the wheel AND look away from the road. The system covers over 400,000 miles of North American highways and handles almost everything on its own. If you’ve been waiting for true hands-free driving that doesn’t make you stare at the road like a hawk, this might be it.
Various sensors make this eyes-off driving system possible
The new Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise system will be the most advanced driver assistance system available when it arrives. The hands-free driving technology expands to be the first with truly autonomous driving features, which means you won’t have to pay attention to the road. The GM electric SUV is equipped with cameras, radar, and lidar sensors to allow the vehicle to read the road. It covers more than 400,000 miles of North American highways, which could mean many miles of driving without paying attention to the road while behind the wheel.
How widespread will the Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise become?
GM isn’t calling it Ultra Cruise, but that might be what its called on the large electric SUV. Still, its expected that this eyes-free version of Super Cruise could become widespread across GM vehicles much faster than the original version of Super Cruise. Thanks to the development of over-the-air updates, this eyes-free version could become a feature on many GM vehicles in the near future. Of course, those vehicles would need to be equipped with the same package of sensors as the Escalade IQ to allow for eyes-free driving.
Where will this system work?
All 400,000 miles of highway that have been mapped out in the Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise system won’t be available for the eyes-free feature at first. When it is launched, the system will only be able to operate on certain highways, and GM will set those locations. This means you might find that highways in your area aren’t covered by this feature at first, but that will likely expand as the system is perfected, and more roadways are added to the mix.
A testing model signals to other drivers
During testing, Cadillac is using a prototype Escalade EQL with the addition of lidar sensors. Most GM models with Super Cruise use cameras and radar, but lidar adds another level of precision that’s required for higher-level autonomous driving. The testing model has a large module on the roof and features turquoise lights on the mirrors and bumpers to signal to other drivers that the vehicle is operating in eyes-off mode. Hopefully, the module won’t be required when the system arrives in the IQ for 2028, but drivers looking for the next step in autonomous driving might not care.
Another update coming sooner
GM will also deliver the goods on conversational AI, and do so ahead of the Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise arriving on the market. Starting next year, Google Gemini will be the conversational AI system used in GM vehicles. This system allows drivers to draft and send messages, plan routes with context, and prepare for meetings. Eventually, this new system will be customized to you as the driver, giving you a much more personalized experience when you get into your vehicle and use the system. The best part is that it should allow drivers to stay focused on the road ahead.
What can you do while utilizing the Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise?
When you find a road that supports the Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise system and drive on it, what will you do? This system is meant to allow you to fully take your concentration away from driving during the time on the road that is mapped for this system. You could watch television, play games on your phone, or read a book. During the early days of this system, it’s probably not a good idea to try and take a nap, but that seems like something that could be possible as well.
We’re sure to learn more about this new eyes-free system as the time draws closer, but the Cadillac Escalade IQ Ultra Cruise system is coming and it’s the first fully autonomous system available to give you several miles of turning from driver to passenger.
Are you ready to turn over control to the vehicle systems in your electric Escalade?
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