General Motors CEO Mary Barra unveiled the company’s plans to make driving safer through hands-free and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technologies over the next three years.
GM’s Cadillac brand will feature a semi-autopilot mode, called ‘Super Cruise’ on some 2017 models. The 2017 Cadillac CTS will include V2V technology, which enables cars to react to vehicles in intersections and other situations.
Barra said the new technology will be available outside the United States. It is also in demand in heavily congested Europe and in China, where accidents are taking an increasingly heavy toll.
“We are not doing this for the sake of the technology itself. We’re doing it because it’s what customers around the world want,” she said.
“Through technology and innovation, we will make driving safer.”
V2V technology is expected to reduce traffic collisions and congestions by transferring basic information, such as location, speed and direction of travel, between vehicles approaching each other.
Super Cruise will be designed to allow hands-free lane following, braking and even speed control in some highway conditions.
“Advancing technology so that people can more safely live their lives is a responsibility we embrace,” Barra added.
GM, which has recalled more than 15 million vehicles for repairs, has set aside $1.6 billion to cover the cost of recall-related claims from individual consumers.