Next-gen Cadillac infotainment promises cloud-based personalization

And it's arriving pretty darn soon.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars

Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.

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Andrew Krok

Feb. 22, 2017 6:00 a.m. PT

2 min read

The much-maligned User Experience (CUE) infotainment system is about to receive one hell of an upgrade, and it's arriving shortly.

Cadillac will debut a new version of CUE starting with the 2017.5 CTS sedan, which should be arriving at dealers in the first quarter of 2017. Along with a new look, CUE 2: Electric Boogaloo promises increased personalization thanks to a greater reliance on the cloud.

The new look is less flashy and more straightforward, which should improve the system's speed. The new design takes more of a flat approach, with a more smartphone type of look, a trend that doesn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon.

Cadillac CUE 2.0 — Good riddance, Original CUE.
Cadillac

But the real meat and potatoes of the upgrade is underneath the skin. Personalized profiles are sent to the cloud, and that can include contacts, navigation route preferences, destinations and even the arrangement of the apps on the home screen. If you happen to hop into another vehicle with the new CUE, you can log into your profile and the infotainment system will be exactly as it was in the first car.

There's also a new connected navigation system. Also relying on the cloud, this subscription service can pick up on your preferred navigation routes, even going so far as to make suggestions based on local factors like traffic and previous destinations. All cars equipped with the new CUE system receive connected navigation for free for 12 months.

Since it's still a GM product, the automaker's ubiquitous 4G LTE connection is present. It can be used for over-the-air updates, and its integrated Wi-Fi hotspot lets up to seven devices connect simultaneously. The revised CUE also permits two different phones to be connected via Bluetooth at the same time. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both included, as well.

After its debut on the CTS, the revised CUE will make its way into the XTS and ATS sedans at the start of the 2018 model year. It will reach other Cadillac models in subsequent years.

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