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Cadillac Super Cruise gets us closer to driverless cars

Chicago Tribune -- You may harbor visions of a technology-laden future where cars drive themselves as if in a re-make of Knight Rider or classic Jetsons cartoons. Just type in a destination, sit back, and relax. Or, maybe not. Cadillac is well down the road of semi-automating the driving experience, but the technology under development says as much about GM's luxury division as the future of driverless travel.

"We're not focusing on replacing the driver," said Don Butler, vice president of marketing for Cadillac. "Cadillac is all about engagement with the driver, rather than detachment. We already have full-range cruise control that adjusts to traffic and can bring a vehicle to a complete stop. Our vehicles have auto braking, lane departure warning, and vision cameras.

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Submitted Oct 16, 2012 By: BennoBlue

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StArrow68 Champion Author Oakland Posts:3,266 Points:1,362,400 Joined:Apr 2003	Message Posted: Oct 18, 2012 4:55:34 PM Ignore StArrow68 Report Abuse The problem here is not that you will get a smart car, it is that they will program it to be a dumb driver. I don't need a car that will slow for one dolt in the passing lane when it would be smarter to move around the rolling chicane and not further hold up traffic. Attention to what is going on around you will be better than dumbing down an auto pilot.
Tacodan Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:2,332 Points:655,330 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 4:56:52 AM Ignore Tacodan Report Abuse this is great, because I don't want to drive anything GM anyway !
GatorGuy Champion Author Columbia Posts:2,233 Points:1,208,220 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 3:02:25 PM Ignore GatorGuy Report Abuse Wow...perfect for those distracted drives too busy texting...
geezrtek Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,912 Points:431,960 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 12:32:46 PM Ignore geezrtek Report Abuse As fast as Cadillac gets closer to driver-less cars the faster I will edge away. Remember this is Gummint Motors, the folks that brought you the Chevy Dolt. It's one thing to trust that after 100 years these folks know how to make a vehicle where the accelerator, steering and brakes work. It another to trust that a computer program they wrote will get you where you want to go in one piece. This is essentially an operating system for a car. It will need hundreds of thousands of lines of code. In 1995 Microsoft introduced Windows as an operating system (rather than an add on) and they STILL haven't gotten all the BUGS out. Since 1971 I've spent a lot of time around computers, software and programmers, been there done that, and I've seen programs that have run flawlessly for years encounter something they haven't before and behave wildly wrong. The difference here between a car and a computer is that if the computer crashes nobody dies. Article - *** out of 5
tomok Champion Author Portland Posts:33,055 Points:2,347,460 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:26:25 AM Ignore tomok Report Abuse Cadillac Super Cruise gets us closer to driverless cars. Sensors, cameras, radar, lasers and very accurate GPS. Driverless cars will have their 'eyes and ears' on at all times and at multiple times a second and can usually drive much better than a human. Driverless cars can maintain the correct speed, stay in highway lanes, maintain the correct spacing between vehicles and moving at same speed as other vehicles, higher density traffic possible using the same highway at the same time so more traffic flows at a higher concentration, 'smart cars' (icars?) will know where other similar computer vehicles are to avoid collisions, internet access for vehicle refueling or charging station locations, cell phone, internet and TV access and the passenger can do almost anything else waiting to get where they are going. Also, detect people on sidewalks, crosswalks, walking side of roads and bicycles too. Driverless cars can fix Stupid and lower the accident and death rates in vehicle crashes but they will not be cheap! Driverless cars cannot 'reason' – a possible problem with these kind of vehicles (much better Ai needed?). Who knows what the local electrical utility will charge an EV or Inbred that is recharged from the grid when there are more and more of them recharging at the same time. Help recharge those EV batteries will local renewable energy from solar and/or wind turbines on the roof, using the grid as a 'charged' battery. In the future kids will say: What! You actually had to steer and drive the personal propulsion device? I will drive my current vehicle into the ground before buying anything new, used, EV, Inbred, diesel, hydrogen, alternative fuel, CNG, concept and certainly not a Prius, Tesla, Leaf or Volt! Whatever the size or shape of the vehicle, Produce and ‘Drive’ vehicles with high MPG, are very safe, reliable, have a ‘reasonable’ cost and a good ‘value’ for the money. The price of fuel at the pump is too high! XII/XXII/MMXII!
bluebird1 Champion Author Toronto Posts:15,740 Points:3,109,100 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:21:27 AM Ignore bluebird1 Report Abuse I'm with Rhino8... better drivers (paying attn) rather than cars driving themselves.
MacDad614 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,034 Points:1,177,700 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:11:37 AM Ignore MacDad614 Report Abuse "Our vehicles have auto braking, lane departure warning, and vision cameras. This sensor fusion enhances driving and reduces distractions." If this works in the dark and in the rain, then those lane reflectors that are missing from some roads may not be much of a problem once it is utilized by all vehicles. Till then, keep those reflectors in place - and replace the ones that are missing. If I had the money to afford one of these, I would buy it ... provided the most common parts replacements can be done by me in my garage. Spark plug replacement is a problem with many front-wheel drive engines. Serpentine belt replacement is a problem - not enough clearance to work. Water pumps are also a problem. [Edited by: MacDad614 at 10/16/2012 1:16:50 PM EST]
Lologogo Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:1,314 Points:356,390 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:58:50 AM Ignore Lologogo Report Abuse smart cars are good I guess
zeeflyers All-Star Author Pittsburgh Posts:678 Points:219,380 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:50:39 AM Ignore zeeflyers Report Abuse Late to the party.
bruceha2000 Champion Author Vermont Posts:2,873 Points:1,286,310 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:37:20 AM Ignore bruceha2000 Report Abuse Um, isn't GM a bit behind on this? Google already has a "driver-less" car. The person in the car is there only in case something happens that the car wasn't programmed to handle. You can already buy a Toyota Prius that has all the features of the "super cruise" including adaptive cruise control and lane keeping. It will also "self parallel park", you do the gas and brakes, it does the steering. I am not impressed by GM's "leadership". Way back in 2004, the higher end Prius required no key to unlock the car or start it, it put itself in park when you shut down. The shifter is 'move it the same way to get to a specific "gear" no matter what "gear" it is in at the time'. No going from Park through Reverse and Neutral to get to Drive. No going through Neutral and Reverse to get back to Park. It uses the electric motor to cut the load on the gas engine while it warms up, unless you stomp on it as soon as you start moving thus no "cold engine" wear - the primary wear on an ICE. The "driver's information" is at the top of the dash at the windshield instead of hidden behind the steering wheel and your hands and it gets 50+ MPG. What did GM come up with? Belt assist 'hybrids' that got no better MPG than the equivalent model but cost thousands more. Even the "new from the ground up" Volt requires you to shift through R & N to get to D and reverse the process to Park. Even though there is NO mechanical connection from the shifter to the transmission. And it takes space between the seats even though there are no gears to shift which means you VERY rarely need to touch the shifter. Toyota isn't perfect, they moved the shifter from where it belonged (on the dash, out of the way) to the gawd awful arch in the 2010 redesign. And moving it forward puts the car in reverse, pushing it back puts the car in Drive. Talk about illogical and stupid. And Nissan copied it in the Leaf!! Toyota improved some with the Prius V, moving it back to the dash but royally screwed the Prius c, going from the "don't need to know what 'gear' you are in" of the Prius and Prius V to a gated shifter - right down - Reverse, then down - Neutral, then down - "PHEW finally in D". And then you get to reverse the process - right, up, right, up, left to get to Park. Again with a shift lever that has NO mechanical connection to the transmission.
AriesMMD Champion Author Sacramento Posts:1,496 Points:413,190 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:31:54 AM Ignore AriesMMD Report Abuse Not sure if I like this or not.
Holly123 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:3,207 Points:791,185 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:26:41 AM Ignore Holly123 Report Abuse That's cool and scary at the same time.
vrossi46 Champion Author San Jose Posts:2,677 Points:805,895 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:26:05 AM Ignore vrossi46 Report Abuse who wants to buy a GM car?
puinsai808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,549 Points:728,280 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:21:31 AM Ignore puinsai808 Report Abuse Cadillac should keep their eye on the ball before they disappear too. Idiots.
DutchTreatMI Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:3,315 Points:753,415 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:19:40 AM Ignore DutchTreatMI Report Abuse Just seems like a waste.
koikaze Veteran Author Sacramento Posts:397 Points:110,300 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:14:39 AM Ignore koikaze Report Abuse someone is already doing it..
Ticobird Champion Author Huntsville Posts:3,236 Points:1,116,990 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:14:07 AM Ignore Ticobird Report Abuse This makes sense with all of the new computer control systems being designed into our autos. It's just a matter of time.
Jebeahm Champion Author Maryland Posts:1,252 Points:460,030 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:13:26 AM Ignore Jebeahm Report Abuse Where the fun in a driver less car
F81M Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,504 Points:788,110 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:13:08 AM Ignore F81M Report Abuse Don't want the car to do the driving! Although I'm sure it could do a whole lot better than some of the idiots out there on the road.
paoli8 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:7,086 Points:1,821,470 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:11:57 AM Ignore paoli8 Report Abuse And the price tag continues to climb
CheckitoutGuy Champion Author San Diego Posts:1,311 Points:769,590 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:11:43 AM Ignore CheckitoutGuy Report Abuse Where will technology take us - further than any of us can put into a single dream.
LoadToad Champion Author San Diego Posts:1,364 Points:1,298,045 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:08:37 AM Ignore LoadToad Report Abuse Look mom, no hands ! ! !
matthwbar Champion Author Toledo Posts:4,068 Points:1,018,780 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:06:44 AM Ignore matthwbar Report Abuse That sounds cool...
BudsterMO Champion Author Kansas City Posts:3,715 Points:704,905 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:06:18 AM Ignore BudsterMO Report Abuse O goodie, coming soon, coming soon.
chyguy3 Champion Author Wyoming Posts:2,855 Points:859,990 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:05:47 AM Ignore chyguy3 Report Abuse Not until I'm blind, deaf and feeble. Of course that isn't too far away..........
briinnc Champion Author North Carolina Posts:2,705 Points:834,820 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:05:41 AM Ignore briinnc Report Abuse Not for me, I like to drive my car. I'd get a bus rather than do this.
snky2k Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:1,408 Points:305,515 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:05:15 AM Ignore snky2k Report Abuse Ok
CptnCanada Champion Author Saskatoon Posts:7,012 Points:915,300 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:04:41 AM Ignore CptnCanada Report Abuse Too many people don't pay attention to driving so this is UNFORTUNATELY necessary. I doubt I would ever enable it..
IMLURCH Champion Author Minnesota Posts:2,189 Points:1,104,155 Joined:Mar 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:04:26 AM Ignore IMLURCH Report Abuse ok
52MPG Champion Author Dayton Posts:7,272 Points:1,742,905 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:04:12 AM Ignore 52MPG Report Abuse It is only a matter of time till we have driverless cars.
Gassed01 Champion Author Toronto Posts:6,364 Points:1,803,990 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:02:46 AM Ignore Gassed01 Report Abuse If you don't want to drive, get a chauffeur, take the bus or a train.
henryeOH Champion Author Akron Posts:1,081 Points:59,295 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:02:34 AM Ignore henryeOH Report Abuse Yeah and the rich get richer. I guess that now we have millions of millionaires there will be a market but the a verage driver still has to manage for himself
JXQW Champion Author Kansas City Posts:2,787 Points:684,925 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:01:43 AM Ignore JXQW Report Abuse are we so stupid that we need a car to drive us?
Blazer197 Champion Author New Haven Posts:3,240 Points:615,150 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:01:04 AM Ignore Blazer197 Report Abuse big bucks$$$
regasaz Champion Author Phoenix Posts:5,775 Points:1,282,380 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:00:32 AM Ignore regasaz Report Abuse Sounds like a big waste money and research. Typical for the "new" GM.
rwrMO Champion Author Missouri Posts:2,546 Points:581,170 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:00:22 AM Ignore rwrMO Report Abuse and when they brake down it costs big $$$$$$.
DarthDadJr Champion Author Virginia Posts:7,317 Points:1,522,395 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:00:00 AM Ignore DarthDadJr Report Abuse This technology is developing fast...it will be interesting if this becomes a reality in my lifetime.
Tutootin Champion Author Toronto Posts:10,126 Points:3,078,405 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:59:14 AM Ignore Tutootin Report Abuse 91Hilux, You really nailed it!!!! I am so with you on this one!!!!
WebGabe Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:2,374 Points:497,595 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:58:39 AM Ignore WebGabe Report Abuse Hmm.
mikesr100 Champion Author Sacramento Posts:3,898 Points:1,081,710 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:58:07 AM Ignore mikesr100 Report Abuse I want a flying car!
RONALD777 Champion Author Houston Posts:2,442 Points:364,705 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:57:53 AM Ignore RONALD777 Report Abuse I just see more expensive things that need repairs eventually.
tomklo Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:2,447 Points:2,595,495 Joined:Jul 2002	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:57:16 AM Ignore tomklo Report Abuse half the cars on the road today are driverless, the person behind the wheel is putting on make-up, sending or receiving a text, etc.
zimowski Champion Author San Jose Posts:6,676 Points:1,585,440 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:54:32 AM Ignore zimowski Report Abuse Goggle has self-driving cars out on California highways.
Eagle3236 Champion Author Missouri Posts:1,153 Points:210,150 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:54:17 AM Ignore Eagle3236 Report Abuse This could change the DWI into (RWI) riding while intoxicated. Just like a great horse back in the day.
rtw777 Champion Author Florida Posts:9,401 Points:1,843,720 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:54:09 AM Ignore rtw777 Report Abuse Take the fun out of driving. Might as well fly.
roundtrip100 Champion Author Fort Wayne Posts:2,008 Points:396,950 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:52:17 AM Ignore roundtrip100 Report Abuse ok
91Hilux Champion Author New Haven Posts:2,172 Points:682,670 Joined:Aug 2007	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:51:56 AM Ignore 91Hilux Report Abuse I don't care what gadgets they put in it, they can't compensate for the loose screw behind the wheel.
murp1335 Veteran Author Texas Posts:310 Points:74,980 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:50:44 AM Ignore murp1335 Report Abuse ok
Eagle3236 Champion Author Missouri Posts:1,153 Points:210,150 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:50:37 AM Ignore Eagle3236 Report Abuse Like a plane on auto pilot. WOW!!
Don20 Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:9,677 Points:2,620,605 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 8:48:30 AM Ignore Don20 Report Abuse "We're not focusing on replacing the driver," said Don Butler, vice president of marketing for Cadillac. "Cadillac is all about engagement with the driver, rather than detachment. We already have full-range cruise control that adjusts to traffic and can bring a vehicle to a complete stop. Our vehicles have auto braking, lane departure warning, and vision cameras. That is like someone driving that can not be seen.?????? The invisible driver...