Cadillac Is Bringing GM’s Super Cruise Hands-Free Driving System To Europe

The Optiq, Lyriq, and Vistiq EVs will offer semi-automated driving on more than 111,000 miles of roads across 16 European countries.

Photo by: Cadillac

By: Iulian Dnistran

Nov 9, at 4:58am ET

Comment

General Motors is introducing its Super Cruise hands-free driving system in Europe.
Three Cadillac electric crossovers will be the first models to deliver the semi-automated feature.
Based on pre-mapped lidar data, Super Cruise will be available on over 111,000 miles of European roads across 16 countries.

Super Cruise, General Motors’ hands-free driving assistance system, is heading to Europe, where it will be available starting in mid-December on a handful of Cadillac EVs.

The 2025 Optiq, as well as the 2026 Lyriq and Vistiq electric crossovers, will be able to do semi-automated driving on more than 180,000 kilometers (111,000 miles) of compatible roads across 16 European countries beginning at the end of the year. Germany, France, and Switzerland are among the first European countries where the system will go live.

Photo by: Cadillac

Super Cruise, which is already available in the United States, Canada, China, and South Korea, uses pre-mapped roads, real-time cameras, radar sensors, GPS data, and adaptive cruise control to enable hands-free driving. That said, the system is still considered a Level 2 driver assistant, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers, so it doesn’t make the car run autonomously, and the driver still needs to pay attention at all times when driving.

A driver monitoring system makes sure that the person behind the steering wheel is alert and can take control at any time, if needed.

When active, Super Cruise displays a green light bar at the top of the steering wheel. The system keeps the vehicle centered in the lane and maintains an appropriate distance from the car in front, without the driver having to touch the steering wheel or pedals. It can do lane changes, but the driver has to initiate the maneuver by activating the indicator.

The feature can be used on compatible roads, including highways and dual carriageways, at speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour), including in heavy stop-and-go traffic.

Photo by: Cadillac

Cadillac has integrated Google Maps into the navigation map display, which shows roads where Super Cruise can be used and how much of a trip can be driven hands-free. The automaker says the driver assistance feature is designed to make driving more comfortable and convenient—so drivers shouldn’t expect to be able to take a nap while on the road.

“Super Cruise brings together Cadillac’s premium driving experience, connected services and advanced driver assistance technology to make everyday journeys more comfortable,” said Maximilian Wittich, Managing Director, Digital Services and Experiences. “We are excited to bring this hands-free experience to customers in Europe and to offer technology that has been tested and adapted for European roads and requirements.”

GM said it did a lot of performance testing and validation, as well as regional route testing and Europe-specific software tweaks to make Super Cruise compatible with European legislation and driving conditions.

What do you think?

View

Comments

Since debuting in 2017, Super Cruise has delivered over a billion hands-free driving miles, GM said. In North America alone, there are roughly 750,000 Super Cruise-enabled vehicles, but the American auto giant estimates that the number of users will exceed 850,000 by the end of the year.

In the U.S., over 20 GM models are compatible with Super Cruise. The system is included for free for the first three years from the date of first registration. When the free trial ends, owners need to pay for a Super Cruise subscription and a Connected Services plan to keep using hands-free driving.