Driving without hands is already a reality, but for General Motors, the system still requires the driver to remain vigilant during trips where the car is responsible for maneuvers alone.
And presto, without hands! A few years ago, you would have thought you were crazy to say that during a car ride. Today, self-driving cars are a reality. Democratized by Tesla with its Autopilot system, self-driving vehicles have advantages. They relieve drivers during journeys, and would even make them want to drive more often. The problem is that we tend to quickly rest on it, which inevitably leads to accidents.
For General Motors, there is no debate to be had. The automaker itself offers a driving assistance system allowing you to let go of the steering wheel, Super Cruise. Which does not prevent him from launching a information campaign to explain what he can and cannot do. “You are still the driver of the car. And that’s why we don’t refer to these systems as autonomous,” says Andrew Farah, executive director of advanced driver assistance systems at General Motors.
Autonomous cars do not exempt the driver from being very vigilant
It clearly distinguishes these systems from Tesla’s Autopilot mode, except the difference is tenuous. Both manage the steering wheel, acceleration, braking, changing lanes… This is precisely what is dangerous. Despite multiple warnings and reminders, the driver relaxes and when it’s time to regain control, his reaction time is slower than usual. Yet even Tesla warns that its 100% autonomous driving system is not really 100% autonomous and that you have to keep your hands on the wheel just in case.
Also Read – Tesla Model 3: he travels 576 km with Autopilot and films his journey
General Motors therefore remains very careful when communicating on its Super Cruise system. At the moment it is only usable on highways, although the next generation, Ultra Cruise, will make it available in the city. A democratization which should not make us forget that, whatever the manufacturer, most advanced driver assistance systems remain less reliable than a human driver.
Source: The Verge