Monday, April 11, 2005

General Motors Corp. The Cadillac STS SAE100 has a 3D navigation system with pictures of surroundings rather than maps.

Loaded Caddy is a lab on wheels

Capless fuel tank, lane-warning devices among 50 emerging technologies in test car.

By Ed Garsten / The Detroit News

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General Motors Corp. will wheel out a Cadillac STS today that is loaded with everything from cup holders that keep drinks hot or cold, to seats that vibrate to catch a drifting driver's attention, to a brutish 12-cylinder engine with 505 horsepower.

It's not a car that will ever go on sale, but a laboratory on wheels built to demonstrate emerging technologies, some just a year or so down the road, and others for which the jury is still out on whether to bring them to market.

The car, called the Cadillac STS SAE100, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Society of Automotive Engineers, will be unveiled during today's keynote speech by Jim Queen, GM's vice president of global engineering, to kick off the 2005 SAE World Congress at Cobo Center.

"We want to learn how a variety of relevant current and future technologies can be made to function harmoniously while enhancing the total driving experience," Queen said.

Stuffed into the STS are 50 different technologies developed in conjunction with 38 suppliers that provide safety, powertrain, electrical, comfort and convenience equipment.

Some examples of the technologies installed in the Cadillac STS SAE 100:

• Lane departure warning that detects road markings and notifies the driver with a visual signal and seat vibration when a vehicle traveling more than 35 miles per hour crosses lane markings unintentionally.

• An oil condition sensor that detects the actual level and remaining life of engine oil.

• A 3-D navigation system that uses actual pictures of surroundings rather than maps. Even trees and lampposts are visible.

• A capless fuel system that makes it easier for disabled or arthritic drivers to fill up. The driver pushes a button inside the vehicle, activating a ball that spins open to allow access to the fuel tank.

• Inside rear-view mirror with embedded LED screen offers clear images of the rear seat and the area behind the vehicle through the use of a small camera. It's aimed at improving visibility behind the vehicle and reducing distractions from rear-seat passengers.

"This is the most technologically innovative and integrated vehicle we've ever seen," said Al Oppenheiser, GM director of concept vehicles.

GM spent more than $1 million to develop and build the car.

You can reach Ed Garsten at (313) 223-3217 or egarsten@detnews.com.