Exploring Cadillac’s Cutting-Edge Technology Features

Cadillac has long had a reputation for quality and luxury.

It’s synonymous with success and deeply entrenched in American culture. Elvis certainly understood the value of a Caddy. The King bought numerous Cadillacs (and, according to legend, gave many of them away) and even had a 1955 Fleetwood 60 custom-painted pink for his mother.

And while the brand is known for its ties to tradition, it also eagerly embraces innovation.

Over its 120-year history, Cadillac has premiered many technologies we consider customary today but were revolutionary for their time. For instance, in 1964, it was the first automaker to introduce heating and air conditioning to make the cabin comfier.

It was also ahead of the curve on safety features, installing seat belts in 1967 (before the federal mandate went into effect with the 1968 model year), airbags as early as 1974, a theft-deterrent system for 1973 models and OnStar in selected 1997 models.

So it’s no surprise that Cadillac today is a pioneer of cutting-edge technology in the automotive industry.

Perhaps the most exciting feature on the tech scene is Super Cruise, Cadillac’s advanced, hands-free driver-assistance system.

It’s not a totally Jetsons-type self-driving system, but it effortlessly controls the throttle, brakes and steering with no input from the driver. Overall, it makes driving safer, more relaxing and less stressful.

As Cadillac explains on its website:

Super Cruise works with Adaptive Cruise Control, which controls acceleration and braking while it is enabled and operating.

It functions with Cadillac Connected Services and uses real-time precise positioning, cameras, sensors and LiDAR map data to help detect every curve, helping to make long drives and commutes comfortable and more convenient.

For the data collection service to work, you do have to be in a Super Cruise-enabled vehicle that’s on a compatible road (400,000 miles of them and counting) in the United States or Canada – and you have to keep your eyes on the road. No watching a movie as the miles fly by.

Eye-tracking cameras make sure you don’t look away for long – and will give you three chances to face front again before taking matters into its own… um, hands. A light bar on the steering wheel will flash red and you’ll hear a voice prompt to take over steering. If you don’t, the vehicle will slow down and alert an OnStar advisor to contact you. Super Cruise and Adaptive Cruise Control will then disengage.

Lane markings also need to be clearly visible, and cameras and radar sensors must be unobstructed and in good working order.

The tech and automotive media love Super Cruise. It earned the “Best Hands-Free System” award in the technology category for Popular Science’s Best of What’s New in 2022. Road & Track called the steering and pedal inputs “natural” and said “it’s uncanny just how well Super Cruise works. It’s not just that it’ll stay between the lines and not hit anything … It’s that the system just seems so natural. It feels like there’s an actual human driving the car, rather than a machine designed to mimic a driver.”

Super Cruise is available on select model years of the Lyriq, Escalade, XT6, CT4, CT5 and CT6.

All Super Cruise-equipped vehicles include three years of Connected Services, after which the plan must be purchased separately.

Speaking of connected services, Cadillacs offer both in-vehicle and mobile apps, both of which are designed to make ownership more enjoyable and simplify your life while on the go. In-vehicle apps include:

• Navigation
• Super Cruise on enabled vehicles
• Available 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot to keep you and your passengers seamlessly connected
• A vehicle status feature that connects to maintenance indicators such as fuel level, tire pressure and oil life
• Spotify and Pandora so you can stream your favorite tunes
• Built-in Google and Alexa
• Google Assistant lets you control vehicle functions and fine information with voice commands
• Google built-in has access to your routine and calendar, including access to frequent contacts, and lets you control your smart home from your vehicle
• Google Play stays up todate on the latest apps and finds convenient routes on Google Maps without having to connect to your smartphone 
• Alexa in your Cadillac can do pretty much everything it does in your home, including getting directions, making shopping lists, changing radio stations of streaming music, cue up your audio books, tell you the score of last night’s game and otherwise personalize your driving experience.

The myCadillac Mobile App gives you:

• Access to features such as OnStar Smart Driver
• Connection to the maintenance indicators
• Remote commands that let you lock and unlock your doors and start and stop your vehicle form your smartphone
  

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New Cadillacs also come with a range of trial services to get you started with your new tech features, including:

• Up to an eight-month trial available for new vehicle purchases, depending on model year
• Up to eight months of OnStar Safety & Security coverage, including the OnStar Guardian app
• Up to eight months of Cadillac Connected Services trial, including Remote Commands, unlimited in-vehicle data, Connected Navigation and In-Vehicle Apps
• Up to eight years of Connected Access, including services like Vehicle Diagnostics, the myCadillac mobile app and OnStar® Smart Driver
  

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Other tech advances available on Cadillacs include:

• Automatic Park Assist, which relieves the worry of parking in tight spaces. Ultrasonic sensors all around the vehicle detect parking spots and control braking, gas and steering to maneuver you automatically into a safe parking position.
• An immersive audio system with an AKG 14-speaker audio system for a surround-sound listening experience, whether you’re streaming music, catching up on a podcast or playing a movie for your kids/passengers during a road trip.
• Seating that provides heating and cooling, lumbar support with massage and memory that adjusts your presets when you unlock the door.
• Advanced safety features designed to support the driver’s perception and quick response time on the road. The most technologically advanced features include surround vision, night vision, rear pedestrian alert, automatic seat belt tightening, head-up display and a vehicle inclination sensor.
  

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