GM 2001 Concepts

Cadillac Safety Technology

Cadillac, the brand that was first to bring you night vision, integrated traction control, and the OnStar communications system, continues to lead the way in safety technology with its 2001 concept, the Cadillac Vizón.


Adaptive Cruise Control

A sophisticated collision warning system continuously monitors road conditions ahead and potential hazards with radar and a host of sensors on the car. Decision-making software analyzes all of this data hundreds of times a second to assess following distance. The driver sets the system to monitor a given following distance, and if that cushion between vehicles is threatened, this system will automatically adjust the car’s speed via the cruise control. If more urgent attention is necessary, the system can lightly or moderately apply brakes to maintain following distance. If evasive action is required, an audible alarm sounds.

OnStar Virtual Advisor™

In addition to having an OnStar Advisor on hand at all times via satellite link to offer directions, call for help or unlock the car, the OnStar Virtual Advisor™ will offer voice-command controls for telephone dialing and Internet access. Drivers and passengers may use the system to place person-to-person calls, or to hear incoming e-mail, news and sports scores, stock quotes and weather conditions.

With the hands-free, voice-activated interface, OnStar subscribers use voice prompts, such as "Start my e-mail," or "Start my stock quotes," to receive Internet services from the Virtual Advisor while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. The Virtual Advisor then converts the text you would see on a PC screen to speech and reads it aloud to the driver with a synthesized voice. The system has no screens or displays that could potentially distract the driver’s vision.

All of this is in keeping with GM’s guiding principles on driver workload management:

Keep the driver’s eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Minimize the number of steps required to perform a task. Create a common interface for consumers to interact with the system. Use a lock-out protocol to prevent use of the systems that create unnecessary and excessive attention demands on the driver.

StabiliTrak™ AWD

GM’s integrated stability management system, StabiliTrak™, makes its first appearance as an all-wheel-drive system on the Cadillac Vizón. The system integrates directional sensors, a yaw rate sensor and lateral acceleration sensor with inputs from the car's suspension, steering, anti-lock brakes and traction controls. A computer uses this data to discern what the driver intends to do and if the car doesn't respond as expected, the StabiliTrak computer sends commands to the car's traction control and brakes to help keep the car on the intended course.