Does GMC Have a Self-Driving Car?
GMC’s Super Cruise and Ultra Cruise provide some self-driving features, but drivers still need to control the vehicles.
Written by Drew Waterstreet
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Available in 2022,
GMC
will offer its Super Cruise technology in the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali, Denali Ultimate, HUMMER EV Pickup and SUV. However, this self-driving technology only achieves a Level 2 autonomous driving rating, which means drivers are still responsible for controlling the vehicle.Considering that Tesla plans to achieve Level 4 vehicle autonomy by 2023, GMC is behind the innovation curve with its current tech. However, GMC’s Ultra Cruise upgrade, which is still in development, has its goals set on closing the gap!
Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with the fast-paced nature of automobile technology. Luckily, the
car insurance
experts at Jerry
are here to walk you through the innovations in vehicle autonomy and how GMC stands up to the competition. 
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Does GMC have a self-driving car?
GMC is currently offering its Super Cruise self-driving technology in the following 2022 models:
- GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
- GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate
- HUMMER EV Pickup
- HUMMER EV SUV
Super Cruise is a Level 2 vehicle autonomy system that allows hands-free operation on
compatible highways
, but drivers are still responsible for safely controlling the vehicle. However, this technology is on schedule to be rapidly replaced by the Ultra Cruise self-driving package.The innovative Ultra Cruise technology package is expected to debut in a future 2023 Cadillac model, and rumors point toward the Lyriq EV crossover.
The Ultra Cruise upgrade will enable hands-free driving in 95% of driving scenarios, as opposed to the limited compatible highways in the Super Cruise package. Even though it will still be considered a Level 2 vehicle autonomy system, this is a massive improvement!
Here are some autonomous functionalities you can look forward to with the new-and-improved Ultra Cruise package:
- Reacts to stop-and-go traffic control devices
- Follows designated speed limits and maintains headway
- Supports automatic lane changing
- Supports turns, parking, and object avoidance
- Functional on city streets, in-town roads, and highways
With Super Cruise, these autonomous features are only available for about 200,000 miles of highway in the United States. However, the upgraded Ultra Cruise is estimated to be compatible with over 2,000,000 miles of every type of road—that’s a tenfold improvement!
With this extensive compatibility, GMC has the opportunity to have a leg up on Tesla. Ultra Cruise can operate sufficiently without line paint, while Tesla’s can not (yet). This subtle difference can lead to a drastic competitive advantage, and only time will tell who comes out on top!
Key Takeaway The latest models of the GMC Sierra 1500 and the Hummer can be equipped with Super Cruise—GMC’s Level 2 vehicle autonomy system. Keep an eye out for the debut of Ultra Cruise in 2023!
How do self-driving cars work?
Unfortunately, self-driving cars don’t allow you to sit back and take a nap behind the wheel (not yet, at least).
To elaborate on the current state of technology, we should first explain vehicle autonomy levels. Here’s a breakdown of the system according to the
SAE Levels of Driving Automation
:- Level 0: No automation. The human performs all tasks but will receive warnings for things like lane departure and blind-spot monitoring.
- Level 1: Driver assistance. The vehicle can perform single automation functions while the human remains in control.
- Level 2: Partial automation. The vehicle can perform two or more automation functions simultaneously while the human remains in control (most auto manufacturers are here).
- Level 3: Conditional automation. The vehicle can autonomously interact with its environment, but human override is required when requested.
- Level 4: High automation. The vehicle can autonomously operate in limited driving conditions without requiring human attention or intervention.
- Level 5: Full automation. The vehicle can autonomously operate in all driving conditions without requiring human attention or intervention.
As you can see, jumping from Level 2 to Level 3 is challenging due to removing human intervention. It’s less about the technology not working, and more about the liability associated with putting trust in technology. Under the current narrative, there is simply no room for error in self-driving technology.
Now that we understand the system, let’s take a look at how the technology works. GMC’s Ultra Cruise technology uses a combination of cameras, radars, and LiDAR sensors. The system continuously gathers data to create a dynamic map of your vehicle’s surroundings.
This information is not only used for your current driving conditions but the data will also be stored for future use. This is the essence of reinforcement learning in machine learning. Identifying an accurate vector space (the space that is seen and unseen) is the most challenging problem in self-driving.
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Best GMCs with self-driving technology
Many driver-assist technologies are snubbed of the automation title—even though they deserve it! Many GMC vehicles have technologies that fall into Levels 0 through 2.
Even without the Super Cruise or Ultra Cruise packages, you can get a variety of driver-assist technologies for your GMC with the Pro Safety (Plus) package. Here are some features:
- Forward collision alert
- Automatic emergency braking
- Lane keep assists with lane departure warning
- Following distance indicator
- Front pedestrian braking
- Lane change alert and side blind zone alert (Plus)
- Rear cross-traffic alert (Plus)
- Rear park assist (Plus)
Even though most of these technologies fall into Level 0 or Level 1, they are still beneficial tools to increase your awareness and stay safe on the road. However, it is the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle safely in Level 2 and below.
Super Cruise and Ultra Cruise will be limited to a few models as they roll out the Level 2 technology. Here is the full (current) lineup of GMC vehicles with self-driving tech.
Model | Vehicle type | Standard safety technology | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
2023 TBD | N/A | Ultra Cruise | N/A |
Full-size truck | Super Cruise & Pro Saftey Plus | $62,000 | |
All-terrain EV | Super Cruise & Pro Saftey Plus | $108,700 | |
Small SUV | Pro Saftey (Plus) | $25,000 | |
Mid-size SUV | Pro Saftey (Plus) | $29,800 | |
Full-size SUV | Pro Saftey (Plus) | $51,000 |
Only time will tell how the self-driving capabilities of GMC will evolve, but GMC certainly has high hopes to be a competitive player in the autonomous vehicle market.
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