GM Super Cruise - 15,000 mile review

Yes and this is an interesting point.

The system shines infra-red light on your face from two emitters in the top of the steering wheel. Without sun glasses you can cover one eye and the system will allow you to use Super Cruise. With sun glasses if you cover one eye, the sensor will not receive enough reflected infra-red light and Super Cruise will turn off.
Interesting, I have a prosthetic eye & wonder if it would cause any issue's? Obviously, I won't ask you to test that theory. 😅
Very well written page regarding this newer technology that will be very helpful. "Lane Keep Assist" tech is something i'm not really familiar with as you see my dinosaurs I drive in the sig. You've shed some light on the GM version & I'm not sure how far other brands would differ from that. Thanks for sharing this!
 
GM Super Cruise is a system that uses cameras, LIDAR data, and maps to enable hands free driving in concert with adaptive cruise control. The system will maintain the center of the lane and pace the vehicle in front. If a pass is safe, then Super Cruise will automatically or manually pass the slower vehicle while driving on a multi-lane road, such as an interstate highway.

I have owned my Chevy Tahoe for about 10 months and have actively used Super Cruise around 15,000 miles on interstates, US-Highways, and even some state and county highways. Both divided highways and highways with undivided opposing traffic.

Super Cruise only has a few purposes. The primary purpose is to steer the vehicle in the center of the lane and maintain a minimum distance from the vehicle to the front. Super Cruise will also pass a slower vehicle if the lane to the left or right is clear. The driver must remain focused on the road ahead, so Super Cruise has a sensor that watches the driver’s eyes to check that the driver is looking ahead at the road. The sensor is very good at determining if a driver is looking elsewhere. For instance if the driver looks at an accident on the opposite side of the interstate, the sensor will detect the driver’s eyes not looking forward and after five seconds, the driver will be warned visually and by seat vibrations to pay attention. If another five seconds goes by without driver attention to the road, then Super Cruise will turn off. If the driver does not take control of the steering wheel, then Super Cruise will begin to slow the vehicle to a complete stop in the current lane and call OnStar. If the driver is warned to pay attention more than a set number of times in a certain duration, then Super Cruise will be disabled until the vehicle is turned off and restarted. I won't detail all the ways I've tried to fool the sensor, but the results is I have not found any way yet. Super Cruise will also turn off when approaching conditions are not safe for use. An example is a sharp curve in the road or when approaching a town or congested area. The driver is always warned before or as Super Cruise is disabled.

The driver gets the benefit of reduced fatigue on long trips. I regularly drive between Colorado and Iowa and use Super Cruise the entire distance. The difference in fatigue and alertness is astounding. When you don’t have to hold the wheel the entire time, you can’t believe how much less tired and more alert you will be on a long trip.

In a nutshell, Super Cruise drives in the center of the lane, passes when safe, makes sure the driver is paying attention, and disables itself when it should not be used. Super Cruise is only available on roads that have been LIDAR mapped. This map can be found by searching “Super Cruise routes”.

Super Cruise does not pay any attention to the route you have programmed into the map, in fact you do not even need to program a route into the map to use Super Cruise. Super Cruise does not pay any attention to any traffic signs or traffic laws. If the speed limit is 55 and you have the adaptive cruise control set to 80, then it will maintain 80 in the center of the lane until the forward collision avoidance brakes, you brake, or you turn Super Cruise off. It will not pull over for the police car that is attempting to curb you for speeding. In short, the system knows nothing about traffic signs, signals, or laws and doesn’t care.

What does Super Cruise do if it gets confused? It shuts off. Examples might be a low angle morning or evening sun shining off the road surface, snow, wet roads at night, and worn or unpainted lines. All of these conditions can obscure the painted lane lines. I really like that Super Cruise doesn’t guess. If it loses the lines, it shuts off.

I have seen Super Cruise make three mistakes that if uncorrected would have ended with highly unsatisfactory results.

The first incident was on I-80 in Nebraska in a construction zone. The left lane was closed for work and all traffic was forced into the right lane with barrels. While traveling in the right lane with auto-lane change enabled, Super Cruise saw that the adaptive cruise speed setting was higher than the speed of the car in front. Super Cruise turned on the left turn signal and changed the Driver Information Center to “Auto Lane Change”, then started steering into the left lane. For some reason Super Cruise doesn’t see barrels dividing the lanes.

The second incident was very similar, except the right lane was closed and the left lane was open. Super Cruise doesn’t like to hang out in the left lane and if auto-lane change is enabled, will vacate the passing lane as soon as vehicles in the right lane have been passed. I entered the construction area where the right lane was closed and there were barrels separating the two lanes. You guessed it, Super Cruise commenced a turn into the right lane, ignoring the barrels.

The first two incident types have both happened multiple times.

The third fail was passing a semi on I-80 shortly after sunrise in the east bound lanes. The sun was about 10 degrees above the horizon and slightly to the south of the lanes. The sun was casting a diagonal shadow across the passing lane from the semi trailer. I commenced a pass and when Super Cruise saw the diagonal shadow, it must have thought the lane curved. The computer swerved to the right hard enough that it made it about half way out of the left lane before I got my hands on the wheel and brought it back to the left lane.

This is a picture of the shadow that fooled the computer:

View attachment 257066

All three of these incident types required me to intervene and override the motor that steers the vehicle. How difficult is the steering motor to override? It’s trivial. When you put a hand or both hands on the steering wheel and turn the wheel, Super Cruise immediately gives the driver complete control. When the vehicle is re-centered in a lane, then Super Cruise will turn back on and display a green light to let you know it’s driving again. This is handy for times when you have to steer around something like a tire carcass in your lane. Any time you don’t want Super Cruise on, just click the off button with your left thumb.

I had auto-lane change enabled for about the first 12,000 miles of Super Cruise use. Right away I noticed that I didn’t like some of the lane change decisions it makes and I hated the attempts to ram the barrels.

When Super Cruise is active and adaptive cruise control sees a slower vehicle ahead in your lane, the system checks for a clear lane to initiate a pass. The lane sensors can see about 200 feet ahead and about 200 feet back. If there is no vehicle ahead, to the side, or back, then this is a “clear” lane and an auto-lane change will commence. This system works great until there is a vehicle with a high differential speed in the passing lane. This could be a faster vehicle from behind or a slower vehicle in front, if the high differential speed vehicle is > 200 feet away, the sensors can’t see it. Many times there has been a faster or slower vehicle in the passing lane that made the situation inappropriate to pass. For example, there is a semi that must be late for a delivery going about 15 MPH faster than I’m going and is still about 250 feet behind in the passing lane. Super Cruise will pull right out in front of that semi and you’ll “be that guy”. Don’t be that guy. The other example is a much slower vehicle in the passing lane. If that slower vehicle is > 200 feet in front of you, the computer believes you have a clear lane and will turn into the passing lane to apply the brakes. The computer can’t see what I can see and frankly fails if the high differential speed vehicle exists in the passing lane.

Because of these examples I disabled auto-lane change. Super Cruise will still change lanes, but it needs the driver to tell it when to do so. Lightly tap the turn signal, which tells Super Cruise that you want to change lanes. The computer still looks for a clear lane and only commences a lane change if that lane is clear. Changing lanes is better as a team. You think and the computer does. I have no plans to ever turn the auto-lane change feature back on.

Adaptive cruise control is required to be on to use Super Cruise. The adaptive cruise control does a great job other than one condition. If you are following a vehicle at a considerably slower speed that the cruise control is set to and you enter a clear lane, then the cruise control will panic accelerate to the set speed. For instance, you are following a car at 60 MPH and you have the cruise control set to 70 MPH. You signal and turn into the left lane to pass. The computer sees a clear lane and a request for 70 MPH, so it essentially holds the accelerator to the floor. This is highly annoying and I am astonished that GM can’t do a better job of programming the logic.

My recommendations for using Super Cruise are pretty simple.
  1. Turn off auto-lane change
  2. Never use Super Cruise in a construction zone.
  3. Pay attention to the road, you are the Captain, be the Captain.

I believe Super Cruse is a great tool when used wisely. I’m sure the programming will get better with time. I rate it 99.9% fantastic and 0.1% fail. Use it with confidence and be smart about it.
Thank you for this report. After 15,000 miles you give it a 99.9% success from an ACTUAL user which to me says that it is good to have. I am looking to get a new GMC Acadia in a year or two and it looks like it is standard on the option package I want at the present time. It looks like it is free for first 3 years. Not sure if I will pick it up after as I am cheap and don't want another subscription service.
 
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Yes, you certainly can wear sunglasses. See my previous post.

 
Thank you for this report. After 15,000 miles you give it a 99.9% success from an ACTUAL user which to me says that it is good to have.
Today I used Super Cruise for over 12 hours. It's a great tool that I must now have for long trips.
 
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Yes, you certainly can wear sunglasses. See my previous post.

This seems like an easy way to circumvent a safety feature. How would the system know whether the driver is attentive and looking down the road or asleep if their eyes are covered up?
 
This seems like an easy way to circumvent a safety feature. How would the system know whether the driver is attentive and looking down the road or asleep if their eyes are covered up?
Oh, it does know and it's very good at it. IR light goes through sunglasses and reflects back to the sensor.

The IR light from the emitters reflect from your eyes. If the sensor doesn't "see" your eyes, the system shuts off. I have tried everything I can think of to fool the system and so far nothing I have tried fools the system.

Cameras pick up the IR emitters very well at night. You can see the emitters and the sensor in this picture:

IMG_6485.webp
 
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Today I used Super Cruise for over 12 hours. It's a great tool that I must have for long trips.

Can this be turned on once the free trial is over for a month. I only do local driving and would only need it in February when we go to NJ to FLA for a month or so. I would hate to pay for something I would use infrequently.
 
Can this be turned on once the free trial is over for a month. I only do local driving and would only need it in February when we go to NJ to FLA for a month or so. I would hate to pay for something I would use infrequently.
Yes, monthly
 
Why?

I stated that almost all the time it works perfectly.
Since it nearly caused you to have an accident is why. At the very least, it shouldn't be making lane changes if it can't do that safely EVERY time.
I have enough expierience with MB's system of lane keeping and "self driving" which they don't claim to be super anything. It will change lanes, but YOU must activate the turn signal lever first.

Automatic braking get you dinged on any Progressive tattletale, just like any Tesla will.
Speed limit sign reading, which I know Supercruise does not have, is worthless any way as well.
 
Since it nearly caused you to have an accident is why.
That is not correct, it did not nearly cause me to have an accident, as I was paying attention. If I wasn't paying attention the sensor shuts the system off. The system does an outstanding job of making sure the driver is tied into the situation.

GM no longer reports automatic braking to insurance companies.
 
That is not correct, it did not nearly cause me to have an accident, as I was paying attention. If I wasn't paying attention the sensor shuts the system off. The system does an outstanding job of making sure the driver is tied into the situation.

GM no longer reports automatic braking to insurance companies.
No, but if you get a dongle from progressive, or Allstate, or any of them, in hopes of lowering your premiums, not only will automatic braking ruin those chances, but speed limit sign reading will also.
My car read a 15 ton weight limit sign as a speed sign, while traveling on a 35 mph road. Guess what? Brakes come on immediately and the "warning chime" from the dongle goes off.
I'm certainly glad you're happy with super cruise, but I'll not have a car with sophiticated "self driving" tech in it.
And don't get me started on touch screens!

My point to the above discussion is that these systems, that nobody seems to want, are a lot less helpful than we're led to believe.
That lane change thing actually puts the cart before the horse. MB has it more correct. If you are paying attention, and signal a lane change, then fine...just let the car do it. But not on it's own accord. It can't possibly make those kind of decisions for a human.
 
My car read a 15 ton weight limit sign as a speed sign, while traveling on a 35 mph road. Guess what? Brakes come on immediately and the "warning chime" from the dongle goes off.
Super Cruise does not read any signs, it doesn't have that capability.

I'm certainly glad you're happy with super cruise, but I'll not have a car with sophisticated "self driving" tech in it.
I thought your car reads signs?

And don't get me started on touch screens!
I don't know what's wrong with touch screens? Airplanes now have touch screens in the cockpit. Try to find a phone without a touch screen. The technology is mature.

My point to the above discussion is that these systems, that nobody seems to want, are a lot less helpful than we're led to believe.
I completely disagree. I am somebody and I ordered the Tahoe with Super Cruise, because I wanted it. Now that I've used it for 15k miles, I think it's highly useful and I will make sure any other vehicles I purchase in the future have like capabilities. As Super Cruise is installed down GM's product line more people will use it and I look forward to that, because it forces people to pay attention.

To Date GM has sold 380,000 vehicles with Super Cruise, from 2017-2024. GM expects to sell an additional 380,000 Super Cruise vehicles in 2025. The first years the technology was expensive, but the price is coming down and the numbers are going up.


That lane change thing actually puts the cart before the horse. MB has it more correct. If you are paying attention, and signal a lane change, then fine...just let the car do it. But not on it's own accord. It can't possibly make those kind of decisions for a human.
You are describing exactly how I have Super Cruise set up. I tell the computer when I want to make a lane change and it executes the lane change.
 
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When I purchased my 22 yukon new in August of 2023, the sales guy really was pushing for me to wait for this option (23MY) for some reason. What he didnt realize, is I was not paying 1 cent over my slt trim package. In some ways I kindve wished i would have waited....oh well I guess.

Nice write up about it OP. Thanks for giving me some regrets lol.
 
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Great write up! I have Super Cruise on my Silverado I purchased last summer and have been very pleased with it.

I haven’t broken 2000 miles on the truck yet, but just got back from a 900 mile trip and it is a game changer… so much more relaxed.

That said, it is not perfect. Somewhere in FL while driving highway speed it decided to enter a very short right-turn lane without warning. I also noticed it doesn’t do lane changes very well on sharper curves.

Like you, I disabled auto lane change and turn it off altogether in major construction zones.
 
Nice write up and I totally agree about the fatigue just from holding the steering wheel.
I drove from Texas to Canada for Christmas again this year and the upper shoulder and neck muscle fatigue is quite bad after such a long drive. And I sat a lot closer to the wheel than I normally do to reduce the fatigue, but it’s still pretty bad.

I can definitely see the benefits of this system.
 
Wait, I can’t read my phone, type on a laptop, or climb in the back seat with super cruise activated?

Downright Neanderthal ;)

Great review!
Years ago I was given a really really 101 demo on how my new vehicle was to be operated. Lawsuit? He said yeah, foreign dude with more money than brains set cruise control so he could sleep. Won the lawsuit 😵‍💫
 
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