A few weeks ago, Cadillac Society was the first to report how much the Super Cruise feature will cost in the all-new, 2021 Cadillac Escalade. Today, we’re back to report that the feature will not be immediately available when the all-new SUV goes into production.
Cadillac Society has learned from sources familiar with production plans that units of the 2021 Escalade with the Super Cruise feature are scheduled to go into production three months (12 weeks) after the SORP (Start of Regular Production). Given that SORP of the 2021 Escalade is currently set for June, 12 weeks out brings us to the August-September timeframe for when the first units with Super Cruise will begin to roll off the line.
Cadillac Super Cruise in action in 2021 Escalade
Meanwhile, sources at the dealer level tell Cadillac Society that they can currently place orders for the 2021 Escalade with SuperCruise, though some customers looking to get their SUV as quickly as possible are placing orders without the autonomous driving feature.
Availability
In the 2021 Escalade, Super Cruise is not available on the base Luxury trim level. Instead, it is only available on the remaining four trims – Premium Luxury and Premium Luxury Platinum, as well as Sport and Sport Platinum.
On non-Platinum Premium Luxury and Sport models, opting for Super Cruise also requires the addition of the Driver Assist and Technology Package (production code ST1), which adds the following features:
- Front and rear, soft-close/cinching doors
- Automatic Seat Belt Tightening
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Illuminating front sill plates
- Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking
- Reverse Automatic Braking
- Air Ride Adaptive suspension
That package is priced at $3,650. Adding Super Cruise adds $2,500 on top of that, resulting in a total feature cost of $6,150.
Premium Luxury Platinum and Sport Platinum models already include the Driver Assist and Technology Package, so opting for Super Cruise on those models is simply a $2,500 option.
About Super Cruise
Cadillac Super Cruise is a hands-free driver assistance feature for use on limited access freeways, with the SAE classifying it as a Level 2 system. That means that it can control the vehicle on compatible highways with the driver’s hands off the steering wheel, but still requires the driver to pay attention to the road while driving. The system typically doesn’t work in the city.
A system of cameras located in front of the driver ensures that the driver is paying attention and is keeping the eyes on the road. To function properly, Super Cruise requires an active OnStar plan, an active Wi-Fi Hotspot, a working electrical system, call reception and a GPS signal.
Super Cruise launched in 2017 on the CT6 large sedan. In 2019, the system was expanded to include over 200,000 total miles of compatible highways in the U.S. and Canada (up from about 130,000 miles). That improvement was followed by the addition of an automated lane change functionality, which allows the vehicle to change lanes on its own when requested by the driver. Super Cruise for the 2021 Cadillac Escalade will contains with all of these enhancements.
After rolling out on the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Super Cruise will then become available on the Cadillac CT5 and CT4 sedans for the 2021 model year. According to intel obtained by Cadillac Society, the system will eventually make its way to the Cadillac XT6, though it’s currently unclear whether the current generation of the XT4 and XT5 will see it during their respective lifecycles.
Recently, Cadillac shared an interesting statistic: 85 percent of Cadillac CT6 owners want Super Cruise in their next vehicle. The data point shows just how well-received and desired the hands-free driving system is the real world.
Cadillac Super Cruise in action in the Cadillac CT6
Meanwhile, Cadillac is working on a more advanced version of Super Cruise called Ultra Cruise that will expand autonomous driving capability to the city.
We’ll have more on Super Cruise and the all-new Escalade shortly, so be sure to subscribe to Cadillac Society for more Cadillac Super Cruise news, Cadillac Escalade news, and around-the-clock Cadillac news coverage.
David Yourist
Cadillac is just not with it. The cars are very costly, the one design they are pushing is Questionable. there out of the competition !
Alex Luft
Your logic has more holes than Swiss Cheese.
Where to start?!
1. Thousands of people each year buy the Escalade and are perfectly satisfied, if not delighted with it. So much so, that it is the best-selling vehicle in its class by a long shot. Let the numbers do the talking:
https://cadillacsociety.com/2020/03/25/cadillac-escalade-sales-numbers-q4-2019/
2. “there out of the competition”… not sure what that means… but pray tell which Escalade rival offers a system like Super Cruise. Oh wait… not a single one does.
3. “Design they are pushing is questionable.” Meanwhile, every potential customer (not online armchair quarterback) that I have spoken to has loved the design of this vehicle.
But yeah, sure… whatever you said. Keep drinking that hater-aide while Cadillac laughs all the way to the bank.
Douglas Burke
The new Escalade front end looks too much like a Suburban. I have a CT6 with Super Cruise, and I wouldn’t buy another Cadillac without it. That said, I don’t understand why cadillac is so slow in bringing Supercruise to the new models.
Ricky
Huh? Looks nothing like a suburban. If you think so, you gotta get your eyes checked.
GeorgeS
Very poor and a dangerous what Super Cruise is or is not. Even Tesla states a hand or hands should always be on the steering wheel in autonomous mode. The release picture is going to create a segment of drivers that engage Super Cruise for hands free driving. I’m all for Super Cruise or autonomous driving but only as an aid, if it’s available on my next purchase I’ll strongly consider it since it can be an added safety feature, but this is one feature that a hand detection sensor is needed on the steering wheel, if not, the lawyers will be lining up at court houses filing law suits after many accidents blaming GM. There will be people doing everything but driving. There is an old additive, “the weakest part of an automobile is the nut behind the wheel”.
Merrick D
I like CADILLAC they are there on worst enemy I don’t understand why they can’t do things right the first time.
Alex Luft
Say what now?
Cadillac IS doing things right the first time. Putting a feature into production several weeks after start of production is common practice, not just at Cadillac but for every other automaker, a well. Production starts with a few configurations and expands from there.
jeffrry holmes
have deposit on a 2021 escalade esv
sure as heck don’t want supercruise or anything like it in the future
how stupid
more crap to break down
anecdote gave cadi beverly hills 10k deposit on 23 nov at dealer
signed all docs
ready to leave I am told vehicle not ready so ugo to lunch
return
still not ready but we will fly in a technician from Michigan to get the computer to work
refunded my 10k dec 29th
still not running
Hey- let’s put some more computer technology on our new cars!
Dr J