THE 10-SECOND VERSION (AI SUMMARY)
Reviewed by our team
What happened: GM will expand its Level 3 eyes-off driving system from the Cadillac Escalade IQ to its highest-volume trucks and SUVs.
Why it matters: The technology is coming to the vehicles dealers sell most, even as rivals pulled back from it.
What to do: Prepare your team to explain what eyes-off driving can and can’t do.
Other than picking up a bed full of dirt or feed, I can’t think of a single chore I’d ask my truck to do in my place. Maybe they should call it “Farm Hand Mode?”
That might be exactly the challenge GM faces. On today’s episode of the Automotive State of the Union, we talked about GM’s plan to bring eyes-off driving to the trucks and SUVs its customers buy most.
The real test for self-driving trucks isn’t the technology. It’s whether truck buyers want it.
Level 2 vs. Level 3: What GM’s Eyes-Off Driving Changes
GM’s new system debuts on the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ. After that, GM says it will “quickly roll out this platform” to its highest-volume gas-powered full-size trucks and SUVs, its three-row crossovers, and its next generation of EVs, including the next Chevy Silverado, according to Carscoops.
Super Cruise today | GM’s new system | |
|---|---|---|
Level | Level 2 | Level 3 |
Driver’s role | Hands off, but eyes must stay on the road | Eyes off on approved roads, so drivers can legally use their phones |
Key hardware | Cameras and radar | Lidar, plus a central computer about 40 times more powerful than today’s |
Track record | More than 1.2 billion hands-free miles since 2017 | GM runs about 3 billion virtual test miles a day |
GM’s long-term goal is even bigger: full door-to-door self-driving that could one day send a car on errands by itself.
What Eyes-Off Driving Means for Truck Buyers and Dealers
GM isn’t the first to try Level 3 in the US. Mercedes-Benz and BMW both offered it, then pulled back to hands-on systems because the cost was high and demand was weak.
GM’s bet is different because of where it’s putting the technology: in the vehicles that make up the heart of its sales. That means dealers will need salespeople who can explain clearly what the system does, where it works, and where the driver still has to take over.
And for plenty of truck buyers, the most valuable features will still be the ones that help them haul, tow, and work.
Sell the truck customers actually need, and explain the tech they’re curious about.
Hear the full conversation on today’s episode of the Automotive State of the Union.
