Cadillac beats Tesla in test of self-driving tech
Cadillac’s Super Cruise technology is the best semi-autonomous driving system on the market, outranking Tesla Autopilot, Consumer Reports said in a new review published Thursday.
The magazine said its tests found that Super Cruise balances the high-tech benefits of using an automated driving system with safety concerns, such as making sure drivers are paying attention. Autopilot scored points for its capabilities and ease of use, Consumer Reports noted.
ProPilot Assist, a system used in Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, came in third place in Consumer Reports’ rankings. Volvo’s Pilot Assist took fourth place.
Semi-autonomous driving systems use GPS, maps, radar and other information to help safely drive a vehicle on public roads. Systems like Super Cruise aren’t fully autonomous, meaning they are limited to certain driving conditions and drivers must keep their eyes on the road.
Super Cruise allows Cadillac owners to let their vehicle drive itself on divided highways using a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. Super Cruise made its debut in the Cadillac CT6, the brand’s flagship luxury sedan. General Motors has said Super Cruise technology will be available in all Cadillacs starting in 2020. Soon after, GM will begin rolling out Super Cruise to its other brands – Chevrolet, Buick and GMC.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GM | GENERAL MOTORS CO. | 45.62 | +0.55 | +1.21% |
| TSLA | TESLA INC. | 170.18 | +8.05 | +4.97% |
Tesla’s Autopilot can be activated in a variety of locations, including winding roads, though Consumer Reports noted that it “operates erratically in these situations rather than locking the system out.”
Autopilot has been the subject of regulatory scrutiny following accidents in which drivers had activated the system. In a fatal accident in California, U.S. safety officials said a Tesla Model X that was in “Autopilot” mode accelerated and failed to detect a concrete barrier before crashing.