Cadillac XTS Safety Seat

Photo: General Motors

The all-new Cadillac XTS luxury sedan begins production this spring as the industry’s first car to use “directional tactile sensation” to warn of crash threats while driving and parking. And what are those exactly? Bum cues.

The patented Cadillac Safety Alert Seat uses haptic signals to alert drivers to potential dangers, such as straying from their lane or toward nearby objects while parking. Vibrating pulse patterns on the left or right side of the lower bolster cue drivers as to where the threat is coming from; front or rear triggers pulses on both sides.

Research shows that haptic signals in tandem with other visual alerts improve driver attention.

“It’s akin to someone tapping on your shoulder to get your attention,” said Raymond Kiefer, General Motors Active Safety Technical Fellow. “Using the tactile sense to communicate crash threat direction provides an effective and intuitive way to cut through the clutter of visual and auditory sensory information that drivers routinely experience.”

Cadillac’s new Driver Awareness Package, of which the seats are a part, also includes forward collision alert, lane departure warning, side blind zone alert and rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic collision preparation, and front and rear automatic braking systems.

The packages will also be available on the upcoming ATS luxury sedan and SRX crossover.