Safety of GM's 'Super Cruise' semi-autonomous driving system questioned

According to Reuters, the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a letter to General Motors that if the driver does not respond to the warning issued by the "Super Cruise" semi-automatic driving system, the car will automatically turn on the warning light, which is allowed. However, NHTSA also expressed concerns about the safety of the system.

When using GM's "Super Cruise" semi-automatic driving system, the driver can take his hands off the steering wheel for a long time, but once the driver is distracted, "Super Cruise" will automatically stop the vehicle. If the road is winding or the system recognizes that the driver is not concentrating, the system will issue a series of alarms. If the driver continues to use the semi-automatic driving function and does not drive himself, the vehicle will automatically slow down and stop and turn on the warning lights.

General Motors spokesman Kevin Kelly said that the GM "Super Cruise" system is equipped with facial recognition software that can determine whether the driver is asleep or distracted. If the driver is confirmed to be asleep or distracted, the system will send a red signal to remind the driver to control the vehicle. In addition, the driver's seat will vibrate and the system will play a previously recorded voice reminder. If the driver ignores all warning signals, the GM OnStar system will communicate with the driver immediately.

NHTSA said that in some cases, GM's "Super Cruise" system can remind the driver to continue driving. If the driver is unable or unwilling to control the vehicle, "Super Cruise determines that the safest thing to do is to slowly stop the vehicle."

General Motors confirmed the detailed information of the "Super Cruise" system revealed by NHTSA.

NHTSA said in the letter that in March this year, GM sought certification from NHTSA for the idea of ​​self-driving cars automatically parking and turning on the warning lights. NHTSA responded by asking GM to ensure that this solution would not pose a safety risk. In September 2014, GM said its self-driving technology would be installed on the Cadillac CT6 in 2016, and the vehicle could drive automatically on the highway. However, in January this year, GM said that the release of "Super Cruise" would be delayed until 2017.

Similar systems are coming to market, such as Volkswagen and Audi's Traffic Jam Pilot, which will be available in 2018.

On May 7 this year, Joshua Brown, the owner of an Ohio technology company, died after an accidental collision with a large trailer while driving a Tesla Model S. At the time, the Model S's Autopilot autonomous driving mode was turned on. NHTSA is still investigating the accident, and autonomous driving technology has therefore caused concerns from all walks of life.

In September, Tesla updated its semi-autonomous driving system Autopilot to improve it and avoid accidents like the one in May. The updated Autopilot system requires the driver to respond to audio warnings and take control of the vehicle.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.