Automakers are all rushing to be the first to market with a self-driving car. Volkswagen has even invested in a self-driving car startup, but we have seen some crashes and other related incidences, so the technology isn't quite ready for prime time. For now, semi-autonomous systems like Tesla's Autopilot and Cadillac's Super Cruise are the best we can hope for.
Cadillac's system is very impressive because it is one of the few that allows the driver to take their hands off the steering wheel. While it may not be quite as advanced, Lincoln is proud of its new suite of standard safety features called Lincoln Co-Pilot360 (not to be confused with Ford Co-Pilot 360).
Lincoln recently held a launch event for the new 2019 Nautilus, where the company showed off the standard Co-Pilot 360 safety suite. It bundles blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, auto high beams, a lane-keeping system, and a rearview camera. These technologies have all become pretty ubiquitous around the auto industry, but the more interesting feature is Lincoln's lane-centering technology, which is part of a $1,590 driver-assistance package.
The lane-centering technology allows the car to detect lane markings in order to keep the car perfectly in the lane while adaptive cruise control keeps the car at a set distance from the car in front. Theoretically, the car can drive down the highway without the driver touching any of the controls, but the system will chime after about 15 seconds if the driver doesn't have their hands on the steering wheel.
At the launch event, Automotive News was able to test the system to see how well it functions in the real world. The outlet reports that Lincoln's system isn't as advanced as Cadillac Super Cruise, which uses expensive lidar mapping instead of Lincoln's cameras and sensors. Lincoln's system will chime after 15 seconds of not having hands on the wheel, but merely tapping the wheel is enough to reactivate it for another 15 seconds. While this does sound kind of annoying, the Lincoln system is far less expensive.
The driver-assistance package with lane-centering technology is only available on Reserve and Black Label trims, meaning it will cost around $51,000 on the low end. In comparison, Cadillac Super Cruise is only available as a $5,000 option on a CT6 Premium Luxury trim, which will set you back over $71,000. So although it may not be quite as advanced, Lincoln does have Cadillac beat on price when it comes to semi-autonomous technology.
