Cadillac Previews Driver-Assistance Systems for XTS and ATS; We Give ’Em a Go

Cadillac Previews Driver-Assistance Systems for XTS and ATS; We Give ’Em a Go:

Cadillac has lagged far behind other premium carmakers in rolling out advanced driver-assistance technologies—let’s be clear: we applaud this particular instance of sloth—but the wreath-and-crest brand aims to get up to speed quickly with the 2013 XTS and ATS sedans, as well as the updated 2013 SRX crossover. (It’s worth noting that GM’s other, lesser brands already have variously introduced features such as adaptive cruise control and lane-departure warning to their lineups.) Cadillac’s new capabilities also will include forward-collision alert, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic collision preparation, intelligent brake assist, and front and rear automatic braking in emergency situations.

We visited GM’s proving ground in Milford, Michigan, for a closer look at the whole shebang. A fleet of modified SRXs was on hand to demonstrate the new systems in several carefully controlled exercises. Leveraging existing front- and rear-facing cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and radar transmitters, the technologies increase the car’s awareness—unfortunately reducing the driver’s need to be aware—and function similar to those that we’ve sampled from other carmakers: The forward-collision alert flashes red lights on the dash if it thinks a crash is imminent; the rear cross-traffic sounds an alert if it detects an approaching vehicle from the side when backing up; the automatic braking works at low speeds to prevent a collision if the driver isn’t paying attention.
The stuff will be split into two option groups. The Cadillac Driver Awareness package will be available on the XTS at launch this spring, and bundles forward-collision alert, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic detection. The Driver Assist package will be available this fall and include active features such as automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and auto collision prep. Both packages will include the Cadillac Safety Alert Seat.

Is That a Seat Bottom Vibrating Beneath Me, Or Are You . . .
The Safety Alert Seat adds to the familiar beeps and warning lights that accompany such features. It operates via a pair of electric motors integrated into the driver’s seat-bottom, which can vibrate either side of the cushion in place of or in conjunction with the other alert methods. When we backed up in an SRX using the cross-traffic alert, for example, the right side of the seat vibrated when the system detected a vehicle approaching from that direction. The opposite bolster will shake if a vehicle approaches from the left. Lane-departure warnings happen in a similar fashion, depending on which roadside embankment you’re careening toward.
When automatic braking activates—another feature new to Cadillac that halts or significantly slows the vehicle at low speeds when it detects an imminent collision—both sides of the seat vibrate shortly before full braking is activated. Pretending that we were briskly reversing out of a driveway toward a bollard Cadillac had placed in our way, we got a brief shake of the seat before the SRX abruptly slammed on the binders just shy of the post. This reverse-braking strikes us as a bit of overkill on a car already equipped with a rearview camera and ultrasonic distance sensors—do people really need three safeguard layers? (Infiniti just added a similar reverse-braking feature to its new JX35 crossover.)

Cadillac refers to these vibrating alerts as a “tap on the shoulder”—we prefer “slap on the butt”—and says it has found them to be the best way to get the driver’s attention. Overall, the seat-shaker concept works well and is far less annoying than an array of seizure-inducing beeps and flashes. It is also helpful for drivers who might not hear warning beeps due to hearing loss or competing noises.
While this tech is nice for Cadillac in that it helps it stay competitive, on the whole the features break little technological ground. Once we slide behind the wheel of the XTS and ATS on public roads, we’ll report on their actual level of interference—and if they function as well in the real world as they did in GM’s carefully controlled scenarios. And, yes, it all can be turned off.