GM previews new electronic architecture that will reach most vehicles by 2023
It'll make its production debut on the Cadillac CT5.
Having a bunch of tech is no good if it doesn't receive the juice it needs to operate alongside the myriad other systems, all of which have their own demands. That's why GM has a new electronic architecture in the works.
General Motors on Monday unveiled its latest electronic platform. "Platform" in this case doesn't refer to the metal structure hiding beneath the car's body panels. Rather, it covers the electronic underpinnings of the car, focused entirely on the wiring and components that provide the car with modern connectivity. It'll give GM's future cars the bandwidth they'll need to pack all the latest in-car tech.
The platform is capable of handling up to 4.5 terabytes of data processing per hour, which GM says is five times more than its current electronic architecture can handle. That should provide a boost to GM's Super Cruise system, which needs to crunch a whole bunch of data to do its job. At the same time, various components inside the car should be able to talk with each other -- and with systems outside the vehicle -- even faster, because the new platform supports Ethernet connections up to 10 Gbps.
So what will all this extra bandwidth permit? Well, GM didn't speak too much to specifics, but it did promise more capacity for over-the-air updates, eliminating frustrating trips to the dealer and allowing for more content to show up after the fact. It should also give a boost to Super Cruise, which GM said will evolve, but it didn't say how exactly. The automaker also made mention of improved cybersecurity, but it only said that there will be "additional protective features at the hardware and software levels."
It won't be long before we get to experience this upgrade. GM's new electronic platform will enter production later this year, and it'll make its first appearance on the upcoming Cadillac CT5 sedan. GM hopes that it will be introduced on "most vehicles within GM's global lineup" by 2023.
