2017 GM Cadillac CTS goes autonomous with Super Cruise

We've heard the drumbeat from automakers that "autonomous cars are coming," to the point of cliché. But the arrival of this technology will not be an overnight changeover. Rather, it will be marked by the combined implementation of existing technologies and new tech, as evidenced by a recent announcement by General Motors. According to GM CEO Mary Barra, a Cadillac is set to have semi-autonomous driving functions as early as 2017.

The announcement was made as part of Barra's keynote address at the Intelligent Transport System World Congress. Cadillac will employ Super Cruise (the working name for its self-driving tech) and vehicle-to-vehicle communications in the 2017 CTS sedan, according to Barra.

Super Cruise employs sensors already used by the vehicle's lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems to enable automated vehicle operation in specific driving situations. When functioning properly, drivers can take their hands off the wheel on long hauls or let the vehicle handle the monotony of bumper-to-bumper traffic.

According to Barra, the technology is not merely a matter of convenience, but one of safety. "Advancing technology so that people can more safely live their lives is a responsibility we embrace," said Barra. The Super Cruise tech has been in development at GM even before Barra took over in 2013.

Truly autonomous driving will rest on more than the vehicle's own sensors to avoid other cars. Earlier this year, we reported that the Department of Transportation is planning on a mandate for future vehicles that would make vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication a requirement. As such, the CTS is equipped with this inter-vehicle tech.

In a recent study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that car crashes in the United States account for a negative socioeconomic impact of over $870 billion annually. As features like Super Cruise and V2V communications technology make their way throughout the industry, there will be numerous benefits from these breakthroughs.

—George Kennedy