Lucid Motors Launches Hands-Free Highway Driving Capability in March 2023 – Revolutionizing Autonomous Travel!

Lucid Motors is set to release a significant software update on July 30, which will enable autonomous highway driving capabilities for its Air sedans, marking a substantial advancement in the company’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).

This development positions Lucid Motors among a select group of companies that have successfully implemented hands-free driving technology within the United States. Ford, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz are also part of this exclusive list, with Ford offering BlueCruise, General Motors boasting Super Cruise, and Mercedes-Benz debuting Drive Pilot. While not yet widely available, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system can also operate in a hands-free capacity under specific conditions and vehicle configurations.

Initially, the hands-free update will be limited to Lucid Air sedans, with an subsequent rollout planned for owners of the newly introduced Gravity SUV later this year. Given that the company has only begun shipping Gravity SUVs, with Cox Automotive reporting just five deliveries in Q2 2022, the current focus is primarily on the Air sedan. Furthermore, the system will only be accessible to customers who have purchased an Air equipped with the $2,500 “Dream Drive Pro” package, which includes a sophisticated suite of 32 sensors that incorporate lidar, radar, cameras, and ultrasonics.

The company has not disclosed the number of customers who have acquired the Dream Drive Pro package to date. Since 2021, Lucid Motors has delivered approximately 20,000 vehicles.

Drivers will be required to maintain visual contact with the road and remain prepared to regain control at any given moment, much like competing ADAS systems. This will be facilitated by an infrared camera system positioned on top of the steering column within the vehicle. The hands-free system can only be utilized on “compatible” pre-mapped divided highways.