GM says you can tow hands-free in six 2022 models

GM said on Friday it would have hands-free towing, automatic lane change and a better navigation display for its semi-autonomous Super Cruise system in 2022 Cadillac Escalades, CT4s, CT5s, Chevy Silverados, GMC Sierras and GMC Hummer EVs. It’s safe to read this as just another offer to get ahead of Tesla or stay ahead, depending on how you see it.

Tesla’s Cybertruck is slated to arrive later this year, although full production is not expected until next year, a timeline it’s still a little doubtful. This car will have Tesla’s autopilot standard and fully autonomous driving (which is not fully autonomous) optional; Super Cruise is GM’s response to these technologies, and already better than autopilot, at least according to Consumer Reports. Friday’s announcement could be seen as GM’s attempt to consolidate this leadership position in front of Cybertruck.

“The additional Super Cruise compatible vehicles and new features are a big step towards our goal of enabling hands-free driving 95% of the time and making people more comfortable letting go of the wheel,” Mario Maiorana, Engineer Super Cruise chief, said in a press release.

GM describes the new features as follows:

• Towing – Customers will be able to tow their boat, RV, and more while driving hands-free.
• Automatic Lane Change – Technology can indicate when a lane change is optimal and initiate the maneuver, while following signaling protocols.
• Enhanced Navigation Display – Super Cruise compatible routes will be displayed in on-board navigation systems for vehicles equipped with the built-in Google Maps app and will display the routes available for hands-free driving, when selecting the route.

GM also says some 2021 models can get the upgrades via an over-the-air update. In the United States and Canada, there are some 200,000 miles of Super Cruise compatible routes where the system will change lanes on demand. This new feature will automatically go to the left lane if it detects that the car in front of it is moving slower than the speed set for Super Cruise; GM said automatic lane change will not be available while towing.

In total, GM plans to have Super Cruise on 22 models by 2023, he says. Yours, Elon.