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General Motors showcased a host of new electric vehicles at the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, including the upcoming Cadillac Celestiq. The manufacturer described the Celestiq as “an ultra-luxury, fully electric show car …”. And while we still don’t have a release date or really relevant specs, GM has revealed some cool features that are sure to whet your appetite.
GM first showed the Celestiq to a handful of reporters at its “EV Day” event in early 2020, but it has yet to release any footage. The ultra-luxurious sedan is intended to serve as a companion to the Cadillac Lyriq, which was unveiled last August. Both vehicles will be built on GM’s Ultium electric vehicle platform, which will power a wide range of vehicle types and sizes, including the GMC Hummer EV and new BrightDrop delivery vehicles.
The Celestiq will feature all-wheel drive, four-wheel-drive steering and a glass roof. There’s nothing really unique about a panoramic glass roof, but Cadillac takes it to the next level by making its roof modular. The automaker describes it as a “four-quadrant suspended particle device smart glass”, which allows each occupant of the vehicle to set their own level of transparency. The tint of the glass will match the ambient lighting in the interior, Crystal Windham, director of interior design at Cadillac, said during the presentation at CES.
If that doesn’t intrigue you, maybe a huge pillar-to-pillar touchscreen will draw you in. The Cadillac Lyriq has garnered a lot of attention (both positive and negative) for its 33-inch curved LED infotainment screen. And now Cadillac looks like it’s about to pole vault on this screen with an even bigger one in the Celestiq.
There’s a bit of an infotainment screen arms race right now in the auto industry, with automakers and startups all trying to outdo each other in size and functionality. Mercedes-Benz threw down its gauntlet last week with the reveal of its insanely gigantic 56-inch hyperscreen, which will arrive on the EQS electric sedan later this year. Cadillac hasn’t revealed the Celestiq’s screen size, but it does promise to cover the entire dashboard of the vehicle.
The image quality promises to be at the next level. Cadillac previously described the Lyriq’s screen as having the “highest pixel density available in the automotive industry today and can display over a billion colors, 64 times more than any other vehicle in the industry. automobile. Prepare your eyes to be overwhelmed by the pixels.
Of course, it remains to be seen how distracting all of these screens will be for the driver. Without a robust driver monitoring system to ensure drivers stay focused on the road, these ultra-wide screens can pose a huge liability and safety risk. A recent study by AAA found that many digital infotainment systems appearing in newer cars can be distracting enough to increase the risk of accidents, especially for older drivers.
To be clear, the Cadillac Celestiq is likely to include Super Cruise, GM’s advanced “hands-free” driving assistance system that includes a driver monitor feature. Hopefully, it manages to keep drivers’ eyes on the road, not on the screen.
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