General Motors Planning Launch of Eyes-Off Super Cruise and New Central Computer in 2028

• Starting in 2028, drivers of some GM vehicles will be able to take their eyes off the road on highways.

• This will be possible thanks to a new central computer with more than 1,000 times more bandwidth.

• The Cadillac Escalade IQ will be the first model to benefit from both.

Following the release of its third-quarter report, General Motors has announced it plans to release a new version of its Super Cruise system and a more powerful central computer in 2028.

While Super Cruise is still one of the most advanced driver assistance systems on the market, allowing hands-free driving on over 750,000 miles (1,2 million kilometres) of pre-mapped highways and numbered roads, it is still far from making vehicles completely autonomous as it requires drivers to look at the road and be ready to take back control at any time.

This will soon change, since General Motors aims to release a new version of this system that would allow drivers to take their eyes off the road on highways, making it possible to do other things during a commute, such as working or watching a movie.

In addition to the data it has gathered over the 700,000 hands-free miles driven by Super Cruise-equipped vehicles in North America, GM will benefit from the experience gained through its Cruise robotaxi division for the development of its next-gen Super Cruise.

As a reminder, the Cruise program was folded back into the automaker’s broader operations earlier this year after having driven about 5 million miles (over 8 million kilometres) without direct human supervision.

Super Cruise still has a perfect safety record, something that can’t be said of Cruise, whose robotaxis were involved in several incidents.

Adding capabilities to the automaker’s driver assistance technology will require a more powerful central computer, which controls most of the vehicle’s systems.

This new computer, which GM says has more than 1,000 times the bandwidth of its current computers and significantly faster processing times, will also arrive in 2028.

According to the company, the central computer is engineered to function with both electric and gasoline powertrains, and it will tie in all major systems such as propulsion, steering, infotainment, and driver assistance technologies.

Other advantages of this new computer include 35 times more AI performance and 10 times more capacity for over-the-air updates, allowing vehicles to be kept up to date more easily.

In addition, the main software won’t have to be altered every time the automaker needs to change a physical part, like the brake booster or the steering rack, making production line changes faster and cheaper.

Both eyes-off Super Cruise (which could have a different name in production) and the new central computer will be introduced on the Cadillac Escalade IQ, the automaker’s flagship electric SUV.

To warn other drivers that the Escalade IQ is driving itself, turquoise lights on the side mirrors and the rear bumper will illuminate when the system is active. Mercedes-Benz also uses the same colour on vehicles equipped with its level-3 driver assistance system in Europe.

Before any of this, General Motors will add a conversational AI functionality to its vehicles starting next year.

The first iteration of this technology will be built on Google’s Gemini AI, allowing drivers to talk naturally to their vehicle, including asking questions.

Later, the company wants to build its own conversational AI that would be personalized to the specific vehicle it is used in. This technology would also leverage OnStar connected services to provide information about the vehicle’s features, spot potential maintenance issues, and provide information and advice, such as recommending restaurants along the route on longer trips.

General Motors’ Super Cruise Still Has an Unblemished Safety Record Despite Over Half a Million Active Users

General Motors will also use AI in its factories, notably in the form of cobots (collaborative robots), which will aim to improve workers’ safety and quality of life.

Finally, the automaker also announced that its GM Energy Home System will be available via leasing to owners of Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC electric vehicles starting next year. This package includes a bi-directional charging station as well as a storage battery that makes it possible to use the vehicle’s battery and stored energy to power a home during an extended outage. The company also aims to allow the system to send power back to the grid during high utilization periods, which could reduce utility bills.

Homeowners who don’t own a GM EV will also be able to lease or purchase a GM Energy system at a later date, provided that their vehicle supports bi-directional charging.