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GM To Introduce Hands-Free Driving In Cadillac Model
cold fjord notes that drivers will be able to switch a new Cadillac model to partial auto-pilot. General Motors Co. (GM), the largest U.S. automaker, will introduce a Cadillac model in two years that can travel on the highway without the driver holding the steering wheel or putting a foot on a pedal. The 2017 Cadillac model will feature "Super Cruise" technology that takes control of steering, acceleration and braking at highway speeds of 70 miles per hour or in stop-and-go congested traffic, Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said yesterday in a speech at the Intelligent Transport System World Congress in Detroit. GM declined to release the name of the model that will carry the feature. Barra also said GM in two years will become the first automaker to equip a model with so-called vehicle-to-vehicle technology that enables the car to communicate with other autos with similar abilities to warn of traffic hazards and improve road safety. GM will make the V2V feature standard on its 2017 Cadillac CTS sedan, debuting in the second half of 2016, she said. The Super Cruise feature will be on a different Cadillac model and goes beyond similar technology available on some Mercedes-Benz models that operates only at low speeds.
It seems all the new models have some bugs to work out.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
They can't even get the basics right let along attempting to build junk like this. I wonder how many will be killed because they cut corners this time?
given that GM has had to recall more cars in 2014 than they sold globally in 2011,2012, and 2013 combined, it strikes me as almost surreal that they are floating the idea that consumers should 'trust them' in their ability to produce this technology safely and bug-free.
then again, people do have pretty short memories, and are easily distracted by shiny things . either way though, i think this can safely be called either chutzpah, or some kind of weird statement regarding what they think consumer's attention span is.
I can't even begin to imagine the ridiculous agreement they'll expect you to sign when purchasing the car. That sound you can hear is every single lawyer in GM's legal department getting an instant erection whilst simultaneously browsing the internet for super-expensive toys to order.
Can I sleep while "Super Cruising"?
"He is so stupid. And now back to the wall!" Moe Szyslak
Restrictions apply. Must have $100,000 in cash or bank financing. GM not responsible for accidents. See your dealer for details.
GM To Introduce Hands-Free Driving In Cadillac Model
Genetic Modification has definitely gone too far.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
I don't doubt GM and others can make this work. But we'll never know how many of the "sudden acceleration" Toyota accidents were actually user errors blamed via "Oh yeah, me too. That's the ticket!" excuse. Toyota eventually just settled with everyone rather than go through the cases all trial-by-trial. In other words, even if it works perfectly, how many drivers will blame the technology irregardless? And if it doesn't work perfectly, how many juries will err on the side of the victim?
Gently reply
A big bloated whale with a failing manufacturers autopilot.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
About being the first to make car talk to each other... It would be funny if Tesla push a software update that allow for car to talk to each other :) For example, if a car detected a HARD hit, then put a warning for driver getting close to that location.
Suicide booths, finally a reality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
- For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
Why is this new? I see people driving Cadillacs with no hands on the wheel all the time.
Multiple companies have started annoucing these "enhanced" cruise controls. I don't like them at all.
Regular cruise control is sedating enough. You don't need more reasons to not pay attention to the
road unless it's 100% completely autonomous. This is just an accident waiting to happen. Do they
want to erode people's confidence and get autonomous cars outlawed before they even really exists?
I realise this is supposably an "incremental improvement" towards automation but I don't think autonomous
cars work that way. An "incremental improvement" that won't get someone killed would be a car/truck/RV
that can safely drive on just interstates and/or safely pull over. This seems like a much lower bar than
the city driving that google is trying to do and would be a useful "incremental improvement". You could
map out which interstates it works on and only engage at speeds over 60 when the GPS says you are
on a designated safe highway. This would be a useful feature that is truly hands free and allows a
company to slowly start adding roads as the technology improves but the important part is that it would
be a cruise control that you didn't have to babysit and more important it would be a cruise control
where it was safe to take a nap not one where it's tempting to take a nap so people will do it and get
killed (and kill other people in the process).
I hope a V2V API is released, I would love to create an app that hops ahead from car to car and reports back the average speed and brake usage of 10 cars 3 miles ahead of me. Real time traffic congestion avoidance would actually be possible. It would also be cool to know that a car 3 ahead of me has just slammed on their breaks (animal/obstacle in the road etc). All kinds of things come to mind.
I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
I mean, if you are 50 or younger. Nothing says old and out of touch like a Cadillac.
Worried that this could happen to you? Worry no more! Buy him the 2017 Cadillac Cemetery Transportation Sedan. Sensors built into the cabin constantly check Grandpa for signs of life and keep a custom webpage up to date (similar to a href="http://www.abevigoda.com">abevigoda.com). If Grandpa should die while on the road (our condolences, in advance), the on-board computer has been programmed to roll up all windows, lower the cabin temperature, and begin driving toward your designated funeral home destination, or the nearest in-network mortuary or morgue if there is not enough gas in the tank (requires deathStar service). We guarantee that Grandpa will arrive to the afterlife in style: in a Cadillac Cemetery Transportation Sedan. This isn't your Grandparents' Cadillac (anymore)!
What's all this rush about having the next big thing in technology the day after tomorrow? Google's been working on this forever and they're still far away from producing an auto-drive car, let alone sell it. Plus, the GM recalls make this a very suspicious announcement. Maybe they just don't give a thing about deaths anymore.
What scares me (and I just traded in a 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe that I've owned for several years) is the way GM often decides to rectify the problems they find!
For example? Have you seen the correction they gave Cadillac owners for the ignition switch recall?! Instead of anything you'd assume GM would do (like replacing the lock cylinder with a newer revision that can't accidentally get twisted out of the "run" position while the gear selector is in "Drive"?), the recall involves issuing owners a new set of keyfobs! That's right! GM decided that by changing the way the physical key attaches to the rectangular fob, they'd give you a setup where it's less likely to put as much leverage on the ignition switch with keys hanging from it! Anyone can do this "recall" themselves with 50 cents worth of keyring parts from the local hardware store!
Thankfully, my CTS had electronic push button start, so that recall didn't even apply to me. But only a week after I traded the car in, I received a different recall notice about a problem where vibrations in the driveline (that apparently worsen as some of the lubricating grease disappears) can trick a side airbag sensor into thinking there was a crash and accidentally going off). BTW, *that* recall notice also informed me not to take my car in right away for it, as GM didn't even have the replacement parts in stock yet for that one!
Automated driving systems DO NOT need to be foolproof.
Near 100% of highway accidents are the result of humans. The amount due to equipment failure is so small as to be statistically insignificant. Even if the automated system is only 95% foolproof, it would still reduce the number of traffic accidents by a huge margin by removing fallible humans from the equation.
Now *there's* a phrase to fill you with confidence. "Works right up to the point where you need to be paying attention, except you won't be because the car is driving itself."
The ultra side effect of the new GM additions to the economy are that the prepositions of condensation against their ultra condensity is condensing! You can't have a particular ultra effect without justification. Each time the economy adds a new standard 'ultra' - Obama supported - the goal is to condense. This time it's been very successful with an unsuccessful program! Obama said that the ultra program would be a failure so he would allow it, and all are declared. Why bother with this strategy? To "export our money to the southeast of the country".
http://godfatherpolitics.com/15881/childrens-lives-stake-pawns-obamas-amnesty-games/
Pasted on google but find Afrika Bambaata
I would think that this sort of technology would be tried out on commercial vehicles (long-haul trucks, local delivery vehicles, taxis, etc.) first, before letting it loose on amateur drivers. I also think it is high time to replace Chicago's CTA drivers (especially on the 'L') with this technology.
the growth in cynicism and rebellion has not been without cause
Is that the new version of 'in five years'?
I predict that 'in two years' they'll announce that they 'still have a few details to work out' and that it will be released 'in (the) next year's model'.. and so on..
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
It's time to start having driver-less automobile races! I'd actually watch the after-race interviews with the pit crews and programmers.
the growth in cynicism and rebellion has not been without cause
I don't doubt GM and others can make this work.
I do, at least given the time frame quoted. I work in the industry. I think they will figure it out in due time but I'd be startled if were were really ready to roll out that kind of technology in a production vehicle that soon. Strikes me as a lawsuit just waiting to happen...
But we'll never know how many of the "sudden acceleration" Toyota accidents were actually user errors blamed via "Oh yeah, me too. That's the ticket!" excuse.
A pretty good approximation of 100% would be my guess. The NHTSA has looked into this twice without finding ANY evidence of mechanical or electrical malfunction. Some "expert witnesses" have looked into it and come up with some theories that swayed juries but nothing that shows a causal link between an accident and an engineering flaw. While no one has proven for sure that there were or were not actual genuine malfunctions but if the real number is bigger than single digits I'd be stunned. Since the brakes in any car are powerful enough to overcome the engine at full throttle, unless the brakes failed I really don't see how unintended acceleration could occur if the brakes pedal was actually engaged. MUCH more likely is either A) crooks making up a story or B) people who genuinely believe they were pressing the brake when they were actually pressing the accelerator pedal. While some evidence of engineering errors has turned up, most of it is at best circumstantial or even just hypothetical. There is no "smoking gun" ruling out driver error as the most likely cause in any case that I am aware of and I have looked.
Companies cannot point out driver error without looking bad in the process even when driver error is actually what happened. It looks like they are blaming the "victim" even if the driver was auditioning for a Darwin Award. It looks particularly bad in front of a jury even when it is true. At some point it becomes cheaper just to settle.
Naw, this is GM's top of the line model. It will have a number of features for the hands-free control to match the exclusive habits of the drivers of said vehicle:
1: It will safe gas by pulse/glide on highways, zooming to 75, dropping to 55.
2: It will randomly slam brakes, or flash brake lights.
3: When someone passes, it will automatically pop a turn signal in that car's direction and lurch towards that car.
4: On roads with one lane, it will go 20 miles under the speed limit until someone attempts to overtake, then will stay the same speed as the overtaking car.
5: It will not use turn signals when a turn is actually performed.
6: On highways, it will automatically find its way into the left lane and repeat behavior #1.
7: If in the lane near an exit lane, it will match exactly the speed of cars attempting to come onto the road.
How will these systems react to a deer or elk standing in the woods next to the highway? Or blowing debris in a windstorm? Or a dust storm? A blowout on that 18-wheeler just up ahead? A trailer with a loose mattress? ...false sense of security, anyone?
Automated driving systems DO NOT need to be foolproof.
True but they do require reliable oversight and/or fail safe systems if they are not including most a well trained, alert and competent driver. The less competent the driver(s) the more competent the automated system needs to be.
Near 100% of highway accidents are the result of humans. The amount due to equipment failure is so small as to be statistically insignificant
Not true. While you are correct that the vast majority are a result of human error, the NTHSA has done studies which show that equipment failure does account for a statistically important percentage of accidents. Blown tires, failed brakes, failed steering, deficient equipment etc. See page 26 of the linked study.
similar to a href="http://www.abevigoda.com">abevigoda.com).
Did you design the custom webpage?
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
On the contrary...fastest wake-ups in town!
I come here for the love
It isn't about bug free on first compile, it is about a) failure-tolerant design b) multiple redundancies. We generally trust airplane auto-pilot systems, there is no reason why similar approach could not be used here.
I deal in my day job with both automotive and aerospace clients. They couldn't be more different when it comes to reliability and safety in product design and assembly.
For example, when I start a job for an automotive company they typically require what is called a PPAP which is supposed to establish that the part and the manufacturing systems to build it have been adequately reviewed. Sounds great and in theory is a very good idea. In practice however it is a check-the-box document that is generally required to go into production, produced once, generally never looked at and filed somewhere never to be seen again. It is a waste of everyone's time because no one really actually checks this stuff because doing so is too expensive. Audits are rare and formal quality processes are frequently ignored until something breaks.
Aviation is different. They will seriously crawl up your hind end and regularly audit you. I haven't had an automotive company come in to audit a product in over a decade and I won't unless there is some huge screw up. Aviation has gotten things so reliable that even physicians are taking notes on how to improve their quality in the operating rooms. Automotive isn't even close.
Regular cruise control is sedating enough. You don't need more reasons to not pay attention to the
road unless it's 100% completely autonomous. This is just an accident waiting to happen.
The failure mode is entirely different.
- Regular cruise control keeps the speed, completely ignoring what is in front of the car: it will *blindly* keep the accelerator down and stay at the same speed. If the driver gets distracted, the car will continue straight ahead no-matter-what and can hit something and cause an accident. Leaving a regular cruise control unattended will certainly lead to accidents.
In most extreme situation, if you fall asleep behind the wheel, the car will hit whatever ends-up in front, and you'll have an accident for sure.
- Adaptive cruise control / collision avoidance systems, etc... are designed differently. The car is more or less (within capability of its sensors) aware if there's something in front. In case there's something that the car could collide, the car will automatically slow down and eventually break if needed. It is not blind, it only keeps the speed when there are no obstacles. The *default* failure mode is stop slow down and stop to avoid a collision, unless the driver takes back command and does something different. Leaving an adaptive cruise contol / collision avoidance system unattended will lead to the car eventually stopping when it will eventually meet something.
In most extreme situation, if you fall asleep behind the wheel, the car will eventually stop on its own once there is eventually something in front.
You'll be awaken by the car beeping to tell you that it has stoped to avoid something in front, and by the horn of other driver, angry that you've stopped in the middle of nowhere.
The whole difference is that older technologies *ALWAYS NEEDED* to rely on a driver, otherwise bad things will happen for sure.
Whereas newer technologies are able by default to take a safer solution (usually slowing down / stopping).
(BTW, some of these *newer technochlogies* are already street legal and already around you inside some vehicles).
GM is simply adding steering control to the mix (the car will also follow lanes).
In short, there's a huge difference between a car that stupidly keeps it speed no matter what, and a car that will only drive onward if there's nothing in front and will otherwise slow down and halt. The new GM's technology is of the second kind (like any other assistance in most modern cars).
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
Hell, I was doing hands-free driving when I was 17. Can of beer in one hand, joint in the other, steering with my knees... driving a stickshift. On the Kennedy Expressway, Monday morning 11am. If they'd invented cell phones at the time, I'd have been texting or playing Dungeon Defender, too.
All that auto-assist stuff is for wussies. I don't know why we need that stuff. You just need to be a responsible driver like me.
You are welcome on my lawn.
My 2025 Toyota with V2V V 4.0 can't talk to your 2018 Cadillac with V2V 1.0 on account of the notorious "engine braking bug."
Hillarity ensues...
assuming all the technology is sorted, the car can drive, the car can deal with pedestrians, bicycles, snow, flooding, the zombie apocalypse etc.
so.. i'm in my car which is driving down the road and "something happens" - a truck approaching on the other side has a blowout and swerves towards me.
the car knows that (say) it can steer either left or right and avoid the truck, that's not a problem.
however, if it steers right there is a high probability that I will survive but that by doing so I'll hit the minibus (full of school kids) that's in front and kill several.
however, if it steers left there is a high probability that I will be killed but that by doing so I won't hit the minibus (full of school kids) that's in front.
what decision will the car make?
will i be happy to allow it to make that decision?
- will i still be happy for it to make that decision if my 2 kids are in the backseat?
The same company that sends out millions of recall notices detailing the things that can happen if the part fails but also tells owners "Don't bring your cars in for repairs, we don't have the parts for it yet."
Yeah, I'll be trusting this anytime soon.
You forgot that the turn signal will default to on at all times, except in the case of number 5.
Are you trolling?
Asks the Anonymous Coward...
Look, I will agree that a certain percentage - maybe 20%, maybe 50%, hell maybe even 90%, of the incidents are pedal mis-application.
So you admit you have no idea but you think that qualifies you to declare me wrong. Interesting argument tactic you have there...
But when you consider that every vehicle brand has elderly drivers, and every brand has people who mis-apply pedals, why is the incident rate (by /percentage/, not actual number, i.e. normalizing for sales volume) for Toyota so much higher.
It's called a copycat crime. Same thing happened to Audi about 20+ years ago. Someone reported (falsely - look it up) that Audi's were accelerating uncontrollably and suddenly there were tons of "reports" of that "failure" where none had existed before. People start to believe it and report it even when it isn't true or occurs for reasons unrelated to mechanical defects. The NHTSA reviewed the issue and it was simply a case of "pedal misapplication" often combined with driver panic.
I can't find Michael Barr's testimony transcript right now, but I believe he said that the engine control unit (ECU) could overflow the stack.
I have read the testimony and it is all theory. At no point did he establish a causal link between any piece of hardware and any unintended acceleration. Furthermore brake-by-wire is NOT on the Prius or other relevant Toyota vehicles so buffer overflow is not relevant. Even if the accelerator somehow got stuck wide open, the brakes still will stop the vehicle if operating properly.
Please feel free to name any tech company that can produce bug-free systems.
Oracle.
(They call them 'features'.)
As this seems to be a limited access express-way only feature, I don't see it as a way for a drunk to get home safely. (Not that some drunk won't try...) But I do wonder how it'll deal with some of the exceptional conditions that weather has recently brought the the Detroit area - in particular the extensive flooding of underpasses that occurred as a result of a very heavy rain storm this summer, and the still ongoing power-outage in parts of the SE Michigan area due to high winds (75mph) last Friday.
If there are active elements to the road requiring electrical power, then what happens when there's power outage? What happens when the elements are submerged by 2 to 6 feet of water? What about maintenance of the active elements? Given the demonstrated ability of the GOP to bring government to a halt, will these active elements even be maintained?
Yeah, that document is scary. It implies that the accelerator control task could crash, and the rest of the software wouldn't even notice.
The document does not at any point establish a causal link between any failure mode and any accident. It merely points out potential bugs which in theory might cause problems. That is HUGELY different from being shown to be the cause of any accident. Frankly it's only scary if you don't actually think it. Toyota recalled a bunch of vehicles to address mechanical pedal sticking issues but to my knowledge there was never once any recall related to any accelerator pedal software failure.
Furthermore most Toyota vehicles do not have brake-by-wire systems. Even if the accelerator pedal got stuck the brakes still would stop the vehicle if operating properly. Try it on your car. Hold down the brake and rev the engine as much as you want while in drive. I promise you will not move anywhere.
Yeah, this could bring a new, morbid meaning to the cute phrase "Look mom, no hands!"
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
How is this different from the driver assistance package you can get in Benzes now? They cruise down to a stop-start situation and steer to keep you in your lane. Am I missing something?
Judging by this video (Infiniti Q50 Active Lane Control - Selfdriving Car: http://youtu.be/zY_zqEmKV1k ) Infinitiv can do pretty much the same now....
Launching a comparable technology - even if slightly more advanced - might be a little late.
I can ejaculate with no hands.
Nope. You're not missing anything. MB's tech works at highway speeds, despite what the summary says.
Yea, fuckin quaddies think they own the place.
I am wondering if I will be at more or less risk on my motorcycle. I don't have that much faith in technology, but it might be more reliable than most of the idiots on the road.
GM better put some intellegence into the car so if there is nobody in the car it pulls over to the side and stops. Otherwise one has a car ripe for theft, or joy rides. This should NOT be some weight in a seat, too easy to put some bags of dirt, sand in the seat and then leave.
Is this really necessary? Around here people don't seem to use the steering wheel anyway... or the signal indicator. In fact, I question whether some of them even open their eyes.
Political correctness is really just herd psychology pushed by insecure people who desperately seek social conformity.
I want a flying car!
You're being rude.
This is awesome!!! I've been hoping for years that Cadillac would make a car like this. When the driver falls asleep or simply dies behind the wheel, it should get them home or to the morgue. It simply needs a heart rate detector.
The only downside is it will put the yellow pages out of business finally since Q-tips won't need one to see under the wheel.
The Cadillac ATS sedan is trying to compete directly with the BMW 3 and 5 series (as well as the Mercedes C and E class sedans). I would expect this feature to go in there.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
This vehicle will eliminate moving violation for speed and crashes, so there in no need to purchase auto insurance.
Lol q tips. Haven't heard it them being called that. Gonna start using the term.
At least that's how I drive handsfree when i drive handsfree
"The 2017 Cadillac model will feature Super Cruise technology."
O_o
Science is all about firing a drunk pig out of a cannon just to see what happens.
Given that the average Cadillac driver age is probably around 95, this could actually improve things on the road...
I can see the benefis of a hands free driving module.
For my money , there are more than enough people driving that are totally obvious to their surroundings as things are! Now we are adding things to cars that let you sleep behind the wheel even more! The "Pullman" car was created for Trains, which had an Engineer driving it! Cars on Highways traveling at highway speeds should not be "Pullman" enabled. All these commercials about proximity systems and cameras that alert you to things in areas that you SHOULD be aware of, may be great backups to a driver doing what the driver of a 2 ton weapon should be doing. But these are being touted as "you no longer need to worry about it" enhancements. That is the wrong message. We should not be enabling even more obviousness while behind the wheel. So what happens if the sensors fail? You hit some other vehicle, do they go to the auto maker to get their repairs because the auto failed? Just another instance of our belief that none of us need to consider self-responsibility. Everything is always someone, or something else's fault. Geesh! When does this total lack of self-sufficiency stop?! I know the intention is safety, folks behind the wheel need to pay MORE attention to what they are doing, not less.
This will be great. Cars driven by a bunch of old codgers who don't even have to be awake. If these cause an accident, who will be liable? GM or the sort-of-driver?
One should realize that there might not be that many loaner cars available, and better than 99% of the time the car remains usable with a caveat.
But yes, it's the classy thing to do if you declare that the vehicle is unfit to drive(we'll send a tow truck) due to the problem causing the recall.
I don't read AC A human right
Oops, I messed up the link, let me send you to my AOL homepage... *$(^*@&$($$%^@#$%@R#FWERR