GM Super Cruise to Allow Eyes-Off Driving by 2028

Betting on an eyes-off future

General Motors is betting that by 2028, you won’t need to look at the road. At its recent GM Forward event in New York, the automaker laid out an ambitious roadmap for the next few years — one that includes a fully “hands-off, eyes-off” driving system, conversational AI, and even vehicle-to-grid energy sharing. The first model to showcase this futuristic tech? The all-electric Cadillac Escalade IQ.

From hands-free to eyes-free

GM’s Super Cruise system already allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel on more than 600,000 miles of mapped highways in North America, and the company says it has logged over 700 million hands-free miles without a single crash attributed to the technology. However, by 2028, GM aims to take things further, enabling drivers to glance away from the road while the car handles everything.

The upgraded system will use LiDAR, radar, and cameras built directly into the Escalade IQ’s design. When active, turquoise lighting will illuminate across the dashboard and mirrors, signaling that the vehicle is in control.

That would move GM’s tech from Level 2 to Level 3 automation — meaning the car, not the driver, is responsible for safety in certain conditions. Currently, only Mercedes-Benz offers a similar Level 3 system in the U.S., and it’s approved for use in just two states.

Cars that talk back

Autonomy isn’t the only leap GM is promising. Starting next year, its cars will feature conversational AI powered by Google Gemini. Drivers will be able to ask natural questions — like how one-pedal driving works or where to find the nearest coffee shop — and get relevant, contextual responses.

Eventually, GM plans to replace Google’s system with its own in-house AI assistant. This version will learn from the driver’s habits and the car’s data, fine-tuning itself over time. Honda previewed similar ideas earlier this year at CES, showing off “AI personalities” in its upcoming EV lineup. However, GM’s approach leans more toward utility — a virtual co-pilot that helps manage the car, rather than an artificial friend.

A brain for the car

Behind all this software is a major hardware overhaul. GM is developing a new centralized computing platform that will debut on the Escalade IQ in 2028. Today’s cars rely on hundreds of small microchips, each handling a specific function like climate control or window operation. The new setup consolidates everything — propulsion, steering, safety, and infotainment — into one high-speed computing core.

According to GM, the platform will deliver up to 35 times more AI performance, a thousand times more bandwidth, and ten times the over-the-air update capacity compared to current systems. It’s a move similar to what Rivian pioneered, and what Volkswagen bought into when it invested $5 billion in the EV startup earlier this year.

Final thoughts

Taken together, these technologies mark a shift in GM’s identity. The company known for V8 engines and chrome is repositioning itself around intelligence — cars that can think, communicate, and even power your house.

It’s a bold vision that hinges on public trust in automation and AI, both of which remain controversial. But if GM’s timeline holds, the next Cadillac Escalade might not just drive you somewhere — it might do so while you catch up on email.