Home > Terms > English, UK (UE) > Self-driving car

A car that drives itself by automatically handling the steering, gas, and brakes with no help from the driver. Self-driving is made possible by the advancement in sensor technologies such as cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and GPS navigation that lets the car know what is going on around it and precisely where it is. The key to achieving self steering is the development of lane-centering technology, which relies on forward-looking cameras to see lane markings, while GPS map data tells the car when to expect curves in the road.

Cadillac aims to be the first automaker to introduce a self-driving car with the launch of its Super Cruise system. Super Cruise is capable of steering, braking and lane-centering in highway driving without human intervention. Although full autonomy is the ultimate goal, Cadillac wants to sell cars that can cruise on the highway without the driver's help within two to three years.