Test Drive: Amazing Cadillac CT6 drives itself on Chattanooga freeways

Staff Photo by Mark Kennedy /
The Cadillac CT6 has an optional semi-autonomous driving system.
Staff Photo by Mark Kennedy / The Cadillac CT6 has an optional semi-autonomous driving system.
photo Staff Photo by Mark Kennedy / The interior of the 2018 Cadillac CT6 features Jet Black leather seats.

FAST FACTS

* Model: 2018 CT6 Premium Luxury AWD * Exterior color: Satin Steel Metallic * Interior color: Jet Black * Engine: 3.0-liter, V-6, twin-turbo * Horsepower: 404 * Transmission: eight-speed automatic * Fuel economy: 26 mpg highway, 18 mpg city * Local Dealer: Integrity Buick, GMC Cadillac, 6025 International Drive * Price (as tested): $81,990

Let it be noted: At exactly 3:20 p.m. on Monday, July 23, 2018, I experienced true hands-free "driving" for the first time. (OK, a few months ago I rode in a semi-autonomous Tesla Model 3, but someone else was in the driver's seat.)

With the push of a button, our 2018 Cadillac CT6 Premium Luxury sedan's Super Cruise system took control of the vehicle and flawlessly drove the big sedan from downtown Chattanooga to the Cummings Highway Exit on I-24 West, a distance of approximately four miles. I should mention this was in moderately heavy traffic and included the car piloting itself through the sweeping curve around Moccasin Bend. The sensation was, in a word, amazing.


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But, like any revolutionary technology, it was also a little unsettling. For the first mile I couldn't unlock my elbows to lower my hands, which left them hovering a few inches off the padded steering wheel. By the third mile I had placed my hands in my lap, and by the fourth mile I had relaxed my shoulders, which had been bunched up around my ears.

By the time I reached my photo shoot destination at the foot of Raccoon Mountain, my anxiety had been replaced by a profound sense of awe. I know, without fear of contradiction, that this autonomous-driving technology is the future and that ultimately a majority of drivers alive today will experience the "hands-free" thrill.

The "Super Cruise" technology - which only works on restricted-access highways such as I-24 - is an indication of how Cadillac has recaptured its mojo as an innovative car brand. It's part of the reason Cadillac's global sales rose 15.5 percent in 2017. By 2020, Cadillac says it will offer Super Cruise technology across its fleet of cars and SUVs.

It would require an engineer to explain exactly how Super Cruise works, but you should know that Cadillac is calling it "the first true, hands-free driving system for the freeway." Cadillac says its engineers mapped all 133,000 miles of limited-access freeway in the United States and Canada. These maps are augmented by GPS that can locate the vehicle within two meters. Meanwhile, a front camera locks in on lane lines to keep the automobile centered, while a sophisticated cruise control system keeps you a safe distance from vehicles in front of you.

Since the Super Cruise system cannot change lanes or negotiate intersections, the driver is required to pay attention. In fact a camera monitors the driver's face and the car issues increasingly urgent prompts if it thinks you aren't at least watching the road.

WHAT IS IT? The Cadillac CT6 is the brand's flag-ship, full-size sedan. With room for five passengers, the CT6 combines a luxurious cabin with an optional V-6 twin-turbocharged engine that makes 404 horsepower.

Emphasis on the whiz-bang, Super Cruise technology does not diminish the fact that the CT6 is an elegantly designed luxury sedan with formidable performance chops.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? A base CT6 with a 265-horsepower four-cylinder engine starts at $56,636. Our tester, provided by the manufacturer, is a Premium Luxury AWD model with a lofty MSRP of $81,990.

WHERE TO GET IT? In Chattanooga, Integrity Buick GMC Cadillac had seven CT6s in digital inventory this week, with at least one top-trim Premium Luxury version offering the "Super Cruise" package, which includes semi-autonomous driving, adaptive cruise control, thermal night vision and automated emergency braking.

WHAT WE LIKED: An array of virtual gauges; a powerful turbo-charged engine; a vast network of Bose speakers; all-weather floor mats; all-wheel drive; rear seat window shades, and low-profile Goodyear Eagle tires.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: The steering wheel is very large - large-pizza large. The center stack has only modest storage area and the all-black interior tends to over-heat in Chattanooga summer heat.

BOTTOM LINE: The CT6 is a technological wonder and one of the most comfortable sedans we've ever driven. If you're brave, it's worth a test drive just to sample the autonomous driving feature.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.

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