WARREN, Mich., Oct. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, General
Motors unveiled Ultra Cruise, an all-new, advanced
driver-assistance technology and significant next step in the
company's journey to enable its goal of zero crashes, zero
emissions and zero congestion. Designed to ultimately enable
hands-free driving in 95 percent of all driving scenarios, Ultra
Cruise eventually can be used on every paved road in the U.S. and
Canada.
Ultra Cruise will cover more than 2 million miles of roads at
launch in the United States and
Canada, with the capacity to grow
up to more than 3.4 million miles. Customers will be able to travel
truly hands free with Ultra Cruise across nearly every road
including city streets, subdivision streets and paved rural roads,
in addition to highways.
"Ultra Cruise is not just a game changer in terms of what it
enables − a door-to-door hands-free driving experience − but a
technological one as well," said Doug
Parks, GM executive vice president of Global Product
Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. "It's been developed
completely in-house."
GM's two hands-free advanced driver-assist systems will coexist
in the company's lineup with Super Cruise available on more
mainstream vehicles and Ultra Cruise reserved for premium
entries.
"The combination of Ultra Cruise for premium offerings and Super
Cruise for lower-cost products will enable us to offer
driver-assist technology across price points and segments," said
Parks.
System capabilities
Ultra Cruise is powered by a 5-nanometer, scalable compute
architecture future-proofed through the Ultifi software platform
and Vehicle Intelligence Platform. Ultra Cruise can add features,
functions and services over time through frequent over-the-air
updates.
Ultra Cruise builds on the capabilities of Super Cruise with new
automated driving features intended to:
- Provide users with information based on their experience with
the system through an all-new dynamic display
- React to permanent traffic control devices
- Follow internal navigation routes
- Maintain headway; follow speed limits
- Support automatic and on-demand lane change
- Support left and righthand turns
- Support close object avoidance
- Support parking in residential driveways
The system also features full 360-degree perception around the
vehicle.
Smart diagnostic and learning systems automatically identify
scenarios where Ultra Cruise needs upgrading, triggering data
recordings in vehicles equipped with the service. These recordings
will then be processed through GM's back office data ecosystem for
continuous improvement of the system.
Ultra Cruise components
Ultra Cruise works through a combination of cameras, radars and
LiDAR, developing accurate, 360-degree, three-dimensional
statistical representations of the environment surrounding vehicles
with redundancies in critical areas. Ultra Cruise also
incorporates an integrated LiDAR behind the windshield.
"We believe that the combination of different sensors, or sensor
fusion, leads to the most robust hands-free driver-assist system
for our customers," said Parks.
Human-Machine Interface (HMI)
A key component of Ultra Cruise is its Human Machine Interface,
through which the system presents information to the driver and
communicates when they need to be in control of the vehicle.
Building on the HMI currently used in Super Cruise, Ultra Cruise's
HMI also shows drivers that they and the system are seeing the same
thing.
The primary HMI in Ultra Cruise-equipped vehicles, the Ultra
Cruise Dynamic Display, is a freeform display directly in the
driver's line of sight. It's designed to help drivers stay focused
on the road.
Ultra Cruise's HMI strategy also includes helping the driver to
stay engaged behind the wheel, ready to take over if required.
Super Cruise's Driver Attention Camera system will be carried over
to Ultra Cruise.
GM is also developing an Ultra Cruise app that will be viewable
in the center display of Ultra Cruise-equipped vehicles only when
the vehicle is parked. The app will provide more centrally located
information, including driver's statistics, trips and history.
Ultra Cruise will join GM's lineup of hands-free advanced
driver-assist systems on select models in 2023, with Cadillac being
the first to introduce the technology.
Always pay attention while driving and when using Ultra
Cruise and Super Cruise. Do not use a hand-held device. For Super
Cruise, visit cadillac.com/supercruise for compatible roads and
full details. More details about Ultra Cruise will be
available closer to launch.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused
on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and
accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium
battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to
high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its
joint venture entities sell vehicles under
the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun
and Wuling brands. More information on the company and
its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle
safety and security services, can be found
at https://www.gm.com.
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SOURCE General Motors Co.