What Is GM’s Ultra Cruise?

General Motors announced near the end of 2021 Ultra Cruise, a new revolutionary step forward in giving drivers a real hands-free experience. 

Ultra Cruise is a revolutionary new technology, as GM takes the next step towards automating 95 percent of all driving scenarios. GM vehicles will eventually use ultra Cruise on every paved road in the US and Canada. 

GM claims Ultra Cruise will cover more than 2 million miles at launch, which is definitely a usable driver aid, although it isn’t covering all roads yet. The hands-free driver’s technology will coexist in the existing lineup, with Super Cruise relegated to the main lineup of vehicles. At the same time, Ultra Cruise will be reserved for the more premium lineup. 

What’s the difference between Ultra Cruise and Super Cruise?

The short of the matter is that Ultra Cruise will bring the highway-only hands-free experience of Super Cruise to local roads and city streets. This exciting technology will mean your GM vehicle will drive itself significantly more of the time than was previously possible with Super Cruise.

What makes this possible is the Ultra Cruise’s LiDAR system, which works in tandem with cameras and sensors around the vehicle which “sees” the environment as it drives. That means that Ultra Cruise will be capable of reacting to traffic signals, posted speed limits, and avoiding objects. In addition, GM claims it can park in driveways and complete lane changes.   

Like Super Cruise, Ultra Cruise uses the steering-wheel-mounted lightbar to alert drivers of its system’s status. It also monitors the driver with the onboard camera system to ensure drivers are ready to take control of the vehicle if required. 

What are the current limitations?

Although Ultra Cruise is more than capable technology, there are still a few limitations to the hands-free driver technology.

Construction zones requiring lane shifts, multi-lane roundabouts, and strange roadway anomalies can confuse the driver technology. Four-way stop intersections that need drivers to make eye contact or hand signals can also be a challenge for the Ultra Cruise. 

Inclement weather is also rumored to be a difficult challenge for the system. 

Whenever Ultra Cruise comes into a situation it doesn’t know how to handle; it may alert the driver to take temporary control. GM calls this a “non-urgent escalation” instead of an emergency in which the driver has to make a sudden maneuver to avoid damage or extreme danger. 

If the driver doesn’t respond, the system will bring the vehicle to a safe stop. 

GM’s Ultra Cruise is a huge step forward in driverless technology, even with these limitations. It is poised to significantly impact the way drivers navigate highways in the US and Canada. 

 Is GM’s Ultra Cruise technology Level 3 autonomous driving? No. Is it a huge step forward in driverless technology? Absolutely. GM’s Ultra Cruise technology will be a huge step forward in making the driving experiences safer and more convenient. It gives buyers even more reason to consider a GM vehicle as their next purchase. 

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