Cadillac has corrected an online advertisement that indicated its Super Cruise driver assistance system was capable of fully autonomous driving.
The web advertisement appeared online this week, reading: “Cadillac Super Cruise – Experience Autonomous Driving.” This claim raised eyebrows, as Super Cruise is not a fully autonomous system, but rather a hands-free driver assistance system. The term “autonomous” implies the vehicle is capable of performing 100 percent of the driving task and requires absolutely zero input from the person behind the wheel.
A Cadillac spokesperson told Automotive News that it did not intend to run the ad with the misleading copy.
“The ad in question was launched in error and has been removed,” they said.
The same advertisement now has a headline that reads: “Cadillac Super Cruise – The Future Of Driving” according to AN. We also punched “Super Cruise” into our Google search bar and were presented with a similar tagline: “Cadillac Super Cruise – Hands-Free Driving.”
Cadillac isn’t the only manufacturer to come under fire over branding for its driver assistance system. Critics have also taken aim at Tesla in the past for the name of its advanced driving assistant, Autopilot. While the two are among the most advanced driver assistance systems available, neither are not fully autonomous. The Cadillac system requires the driver to look at the road at all times, otherwise the technology will disengage and the vehicle will revert to regular human controls. It also only works on certain pre-mapped divided highways in the United States and Canada.
Consumer Reports has rated Super Cruise as the best advanced driver assistance system on the market currently. Vehicles available with Super Cruise come with a free three-year trial of the technology before they will be required to pay Cadillac a $25 monthly fee to keep the technology turned on. It first debuted on the now-defunct Cadillac CT6 and is also available on the 2021 Cadillac CT4 and 2021 Cadillac CT5, as well as the all-new 2021 Cadillac Escalade SUV. The automaker will also offer the tech on future products like the Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover.
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Raymond Ramirez
It isn’t related to the Super Cruise itself, but that speed odometer display has a bad design element. The needle sweep has a bright area that covers the actual numbers. The better design will limit that to just the outer edge of the gage, and not block out the numbers, yet allow a quick glance of the approximate speed.
Tinsley Meekins, Jr
I just ordered a new 2021 Escalade… There was no mention of a monthly charge after 3 years for super cruise… I am disappointed in that.
Alex Luft
The technology that makes Super Cruise possible needs to be updated on a regular basis. These updates are the result of road mapping efforts, which do not come cheap. The monthly fees are what enable these updates to continue.
With that said, I must ask: you ordered a $100,000 vehicle and are upset about a measly charge of $15-$25 per month? Not sure that I follow your logic.
One buys a range-topping iPhone for $1,000 and fully expects to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 a month for cell service, and that’s considered perfectly fine. But when one buys a $100,000 vehicle and can pay $15-$25 a month for an optional feature (no one says you have to use Super Cruise), then it’s somehow problematic?!
Mike
Just ordered ours. $112K ESV Platinum Sport with SuperCruise. I agree. If you can pay $112K, $15 to $25 per month is not a huge amount. Don’t buy the cow if you can’t afford to process the milk.
Scotty Keen
I seriously doubt Kinsley ordered anything but a toy model Escalade from hot wheels.
Larry Bittner
I have been excited that SuperCruise would be capable of putting an address in the GPS that would take me to my destination. Since Supercruise is a $2.500 option, I don’t like that there will be a $25 a month fee for connectivity.
Scotty Keen
Are you even serious right now!!!
Peter W
If there wasn’t a monthly fee who would pay for the updates? To keep imbedded Nav up to date you have to pay 200 for nav data what’s the difference. It’s the way moving forward if you don’t want to tech you can put you wallet away.
Mike
I am always amazed that people that pay big dollars for product complain about the upkeep of that product.