Watch CBS News

General Motors previews its new system for hands-free driving

General Motors is working on a new technology that looks a lot like temporary autopilot
GM testing Super Cruise technology 01:30

General Motors is putting the final touches on a technology that allows the next generation of cars to practically drive themselves.

Current car models include technology that can alert a driver when he or she is drifting into another lane and allows cars to parallel park themselves. GM's new innovation, called Super Cruise, goes a step further: It keeps you in the lane by driving for you.

It is one of a flurry of self-driving packages either already on the market or being readied by car makers from Detroit to Germany.

Combining cruise control with steering, the Super Cruise system uses a network of cameras to steer the car between the lines at highway speeds and slow the car down if it comes too close to the vehicle in front.

As CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca learned, the driver's seat vibrates when it is time for a human to take back control.

GM says that it fine-tuning the system and it will first introduce Super Cruise in a Cadillac in 2017. They have yet to say how much it will add to the price of a new car.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.