{"id":26269,"date":"2020-11-02T16:14:54","date_gmt":"2020-11-02T20:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=26269"},"modified":"2020-11-02T16:14:54","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T20:14:54","slug":"cadillac-super-cruise-vs-tesla-autopilot-which-is-tops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2020\/11\/cadillac-super-cruise-vs-tesla-autopilot-which-is-tops","title":{"rendered":"Cadillac Super Cruise vs. Tesla Autopilot: Which is tops?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a test of 17 driver-assistance systems\u00a0across brands ranging from Tesla to Mazda, Cadillac\u2019s Super Cruise\u00a0topped Consumer Reports\u2019 list in limited testing conditions. But in truth, Super Cruise and Tesla Autopilot are head-and-shoulders above the field.<\/p>\n

Cadillac’s is the safest. Tesla\u2019s the most capable. Their priorities reflect two very different companies that are in a race for the self-driving future.<\/p>\n

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Cadillac is part of the multi-brand, lawyered-up General Motors\u00a0behemoth intent on realizing an electrified,\u00a0autonomous future \u2013 including the Cruise\u00a0ride-sharing\u00a0service that has been approved to test Chevy Bolt robots\u00a0in San Francisco. Its approach is conservative and deliberate, with layers of redundancy.<\/p>\n

Tesla, by contrast, is an ambitious startup electric carmaker led by swashbuckling founding father\u00a0Elon Musk. He sees his model lineup \u2013 not a separate fleet like Cruise\u00a0\u2013 leading the world into the autonomous future. Autopilot 2020.12.6, the\u00a0 latest over-the-air update, is a daring, risky, real-world exploration of state-of-the-art self-driving.<\/p>\n

I have driven all the automakers\u2019 systems and am constantly evaluating upgrades. Consumer Reports\u2019 test released Wednesday consisted of a 30-mile loop of interstate and secondary roads (plus the company\u2019s test track) and was limited to the systems\u2019 lane-keeping and speed-control ability using adaptive cruise-control. In industry jargon, these are \u201cLevel 2\u201d systems that require full driver engagement. Full-self driving “Level 4” systems do not require driver attention.<\/p>\n

Super Cruise and Autopilot, unlike their peers, push hard on the Level 2 envelope and give a peek at a self-driving future.<\/p>\n

Super Cruise was introduced in the now-defunct Cadillac CT6 sedan, and is on course for use in 22 vehicles (including non-Cadillacs\u00a0like the GMC Hummer and Chevy Bolt) by 2023.\u00a0Super Cruise generally acts like other lane-keeping, adaptive-cruise systems in the market \u2013 though it doesn\u2019t work on secondary roads and highways with stoplights.<\/p>\n

It is limited to divided, limited-access highways like I-75. That\u2019s because GM is intent on perfecting self-driving in a safe environment devoid of stoplights and traffic crossings that can confuse the current technology. Cadillac is determined that you can\u00a0relax, take your hands off the wheel, and \u2013 yes \u2013 check your email and texts.<\/p>\n

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Consumer Reports tries to discourage such ideas, saying: \u201cThe evidence is clear: If a car makes it easier for people to take their attention off the road, they\u2019re going to do so\u2014with potentially deadly consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, let\u2019s be honest, that\u2019s the whole point of autonomous systems \u2013 to allow drivers to do other things. And that\u2019s why CR gives Super Cruise its highest rating, because it constantly monitors drivers to make sure they aren\u2019t\u00a0too<\/em>\u00a0distracted.<\/p>\n

An infrared camera stands watch on the steering column, monitoring the driver at all times. The purpose of Super Cruise is to allow the driver to relax as if in an easy chair with hands off the wheel, whereas other systems constantly urge drivers\u00a0to grip the wheel.<\/p>\n

That includes Teslas like my Model 3. Tesla requires some assurance\u00a0from the driver that they’re engaged \u2013 hand on the wheel, rolling the adaptive-cruise speed button \u2013 every 15 to 30 seconds.<\/p>\n

Freed of the helm on Super Cruise, I ate a meal and thumbed email on a 400-mile test. If the camera detected my head turned for any period of time, a steering wheel-mounted\u00a0 light would escalate warnings: 1) flash green 2) turn red 3) flash red and start braking while a voice warned:\u00a0PLEASE TAKE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cadillac is clearly concerned the Barcalounger position will encourage naps.<\/p>\n

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With its constant nannying, falling asleep at the\u00a0Tesla wheel is less likely. But quick texts and email checks are doable. If you ignore the nanny 1)\u00a0 a blue light will flash in the screen, 2) a warning chime will sound, then 3) the car will revoke your self-driving privileges for the rest of the drive.<\/p>\n

Both vehicles can skillfully take turns up to 85 mph. Enter\u00a0a curve too fast, and they’ll\u00a0back off the throttle. Lane-centering is superb. True to its ambitious nature, Tesla\u00a0features \u201cNavigate on Autopilot\u201d to negotiate a highway route entered in the car\u2019s navigation system,\u00a0lane changes and all. While in Super Cruise, you have to change lanes yourself \u2013 though a lane-change upgrade is coming this winter with the all-new Escalade.<\/p>\n

For all of their sophisticated cameras, neither robot mode can see pop-up construction zones with orange barrels. Neither can see potholes. Neither will work in bad weather like snow.<\/p>\n

Exit the highway and\u00a0Super Cruise hands me back the controls. It knows its limitations.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s just where the Tesla is getting interested. With its latest upgrade, Autopilot wants to drive secondary roads too.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not for the squeamish.<\/p>\n

Traveling down Telegraph Road with Autopilot’s blue wheel symbol glowing on the screen, the Model 3 detected\u00a0a stoplight and slowed\u00a0down to determine if it was\u00a0red or green. I often had to goose the accelerator pedal\u00a0so a surprised\u00a0follower\u00a0didn’t rear-end me. Having recognized the Christmas tree, Autopilot\u00a0will stop at\u00a0red or keep going through green. Or it might stop at green. Flashing yellow is a crapshoot.<\/p>\n

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At a busy construction intersection at Big Beaver and Crooks Road, the Tesla rudely sped by queued\u00a0traffic in the right lane before I realized the lane was closing and I\u00a0merged\u00a0left.<\/p>\n

In Charlevoix, two joggers in the street (their profiles popping up in the car\u2019s crisp display) caused the Tesla\u00a0to slam on the brakes. A human driver would have just weaved around them.<\/p>\n

Navigating south to Detroit on I-75, Autopilot expertly changed lanes in and out of slower traffic, speeding up to make sure it merged\u00a0seamlessly.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a fascinating, attention-demanding\u00a0glimpse at what the car sees, and a reminder of how far autonomous systems have to go. For those who simply want a relaxing interstate\u00a0drive, however, Super Cruise is your driver.<\/p>\n

Still, the two companies move relentlessly ahead. Even in the month since Consumer Reports’\u00a0test, advancements have been made. Super Cruise has added the aforementioned auto-lane change feature as well as adjusted lane-centering so the vehicle will move farther over in the lane when passing, say, an wide semi-truck. Meanwhile, Tesla has rolled out a fully self-driving update to select customers. That\u2019s right \u2013 the Tesla turns at intersections on its own.<\/p>\n

The driverless future is coming, ready or not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a test of 17 driver-assistance systems\u00a0across brands ranging from Tesla to Mazda, Cadillac\u2019s Super Cruise\u00a0topped Consumer Reports\u2019 list in limited testing conditions. But in truth, Super Cruise and Tesla Autopilot are head-and-shoulders above the field. Cadillac’s is the safest. Tesla\u2019s the most capable. Their priorities reflect two very different companies that are in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26269"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26269"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26269\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26270,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26269\/revisions\/26270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}