If you’re heading out on the highway for a long trip with the family or on a camping trip on your own for some peace and quiet out in the wilderness, having the right vehicle with the right amount of space, comfort, and fuel efficiency will make the journey much more enjoyable. A full-size SUV is an excellent option with enough space to handle your road trip passengers and cargo. The Chevy Suburban is a model built to handle the road with the perfect amount of comfort and technology for a satisfying ride. Although it has received minimal upgrades for the new model year, with the addition of futuristic technology, the 2023 Chevy Suburban is more prepared for the open road than ever before.
Sure, the 2023 Chevy Suburban can carry as much cargo and passengers as a minivan, with a total of 144.7 cu.ft. of storage space behind the front seat or up to eight people in seats comfortably. Plus, it can tow as much as a pickup – up to 8,300 pounds – and still get optimal fuel efficiency with its Ecotec3 and diesel engine options. But with the addition of the hands-free Super Cruise driver-assistance technology to go along with all of its other great existing road trip features, you can travel more miles and stress less about driver fatigue while enjoying the ride.
What Is Super Cruise?
In total, there are five levels of autonomous driving technology, with Level 5 being fully automated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) categorizes Super Cruise offered by General Motors (GM) as Level 2. The technology does not make the vehicle fully automated but assists in acceleration, braking, and steering, with the driver still being the one in control and monitoring the vehicle’s surroundings at all times. Super Cruise is one of the most advanced automotive technologies available, and it is about time Chevy has made it available on one of the best large SUVs on the market.
GM Super Cruise was first available in 2017 in Cadillac vehicles, specifically the 2018 Cadillac CT6. Super Cruise finally made its debut in Chevy’s lineup for the 2022 model year with the renowned 2022 Silverado 1500 pickup. Additionally, new capabilities were introduced for Super Cruise in 2022. This included hands-free trailering, automatic lane change, and the ability to select, view, and follow the hundreds of thousands of Super Cruise compatible roads throughout the U.S. and Canada on the vehicle’s navigation system with the Google Maps app. Now, the road trip ready 2023 Chevy Suburban has made the cut and is fully-equipped with all of the qualifications needed for this incredible futuristic driving technology.
While it would be fantastic if every vehicle included Super Cruise as a feature for simple and stress-free driving, there are specific requirements necessary for the technology to work properly. It requires cell reception, a GPS signal, and an active Wi-Fi hotspot to receive real-time map data for it to help you maintain your position on the road. The vehicle must also be equipped with real-time cameras and sensors, including the Driver Attention Camera, to ensure you are focused on the road at all times since you are still in control of the vehicle. More importantly, the driving technologies that work in conjunction with Super Cruise must also be operational in order for this hands-free driving technology to work.
How Does Super Cruise Work?
When your road trip consists of high-speed Super Cruise compatible highways, separated from opposing traffic, your vehicle’s active technologies will work together to help keep you in your lane. We have all had moments where we found ourselves drifting out of our lane, hypnotized by the lengthy, lonely, open highway. Today, you have nothing to worry about with the help of your vehicle’s GPS and map data to determine your location, the Lane Sensing Camera to identify where the lane lines are and keep your vehicle inside them, and Adaptive Cruise Control to monitor and help correct the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you by accelerating or braking.
Super Cruise is the ultimate automotive co-pilot. In emergency situations, not only does the Driver Attention Camera monitor if your attention is focused where it belongs while on the road, but if a number of Super Cruise alerts receive no response from you, the system will bring the vehicle to a stop, notify Onstar, and you will be connected with an advisor to ensure you and everyone on-board are okay.
As beneficial as Super Cruise will be for you in the 2023 Chevy Suburban, it is important to understand that you are still the operator of your vehicle. Super Cruise will assist you with many driving tasks, but it does not warn you of or prevent collisions. It does not steer your vehicle around slow-moving traffic or obstacles in your path, nor will it respond to traffic lights and signs or make turns or merges for you. You will still need to be fully aware of your surroundings and where you are headed so you can avoid dangers and steer your vehicle in the right direction.
Since Super Cruise relies on detecting lane lines to keep you in the lane, you will not be able to use it in inclement weather where the lane markings are obstructed. It will also be unavailable for use while the Teen Driver technology is active. Although that might be disappointing to you if you have a new driver in your family, it is designed that way for safety purposes so that your teen learns how to drive without using the Super Cruise technology as a crutch to take on half the work.
Chevy always puts safety first. This is precisely why Super Cruise cannot be used with Teen Driver technology and will only be available on the two top-tier Premier and High Country trims of the 2023 Chevy Suburban. After a three-year trial period, you will be required to pay to keep Super Cruise active with subscription fees. To Chevy, driving is not a game, and keeping its drivers safe is no joke. Driving is a serious matter, and it is expected of drivers to respect driver-assistance features like Super Cruise similarly.
Enjoy the Open Road in a 2023 Chevy Suburban
Nothing is more relaxing than hitting the highway for a lengthy trip in a premium SUV with enough room for the whole family and all of your road trip essentials and powertrain options capable of great fuel economy with the power to tow like a truck. That is until futuristic driving technology is introduced to take some of the stress of the road out of your hands, allowing you to let go of the wheel for a bit. Driver fatigue is real, and new for 2023, the Chevy Suburban has you covered with Super Cruise technology.
While driver-assistance features like Super Cruise are a luxury to have, they are also extremely beneficial in keeping you and your precious cargo safe on the road when used properly. Rather than being a replacement for the driver, GM Super Cruise is designed to assist you on the road by preventing driving fatigue and helping you stay in your lane. Super Cruise gives you the opportunity for hands-free driving on compatible highways, but you will still be in full control of your 2023 Chevy Suburban. This new technology to one of the most desired full-size SUVs means your road trips just became much more enjoyable.
