While the 2022 GMC Sierra has not yet debuted, GM has announced that the upscale Denali trim of its half ton Sierra trucks will be available with the formerly Cadillac-only Super Cruise autonomous driving technology. Additionally, the technology is newly compatible with towing a trailer as well as automatic lane changes which require no input from the driver, however not at the same time.
This latest version of Super Cruise is expected to be available on several GMC, Chevrolet, and Cadillac vehicles for the 2022 model year. In the Sierra’s case it is limited to the Denali 1500 trim as the 2500/3500HD and lower trim 1500s will not feature Super Cruise on the options list.
It is my hope/prediction that one day it will be available at least on mid spec trims, as major technologies are pretty good about trickling down to us peasants as the model years roll on. Whether Super Cruise will be a popular option remains yet to be seen, however it has drawn critical acclaim from those who have driven with it. On vehicles equipped with Super Cruise, a subscription to the service is required, as well as GPS signal and cell phone reception along the route.
Touted as the first truly hands-free driving aid, Super Cruise relies on highly precise LIDAR generated map data in combination with real-time cameras, GPS, and other sensors. The system requires the driver to maintain attention and monitors the driver behavior using a small camera and infrared lights mounted on the steering column. If the system detects that the driver’s gaze is diverted for too long, a light bar in the steering wheel will prompt the driver to pay attention to the road.
I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.
You can view GM’s latest map of Super Cruise compatible routes here.
