It seems like every time we turned around; there was another issue within the automotive industry supply chain, in no small part due to the global chip shortage that has been around for over a year. With no clear end to the shortage, automakers have made unprecedented adjustments just to get vehicles off the line and into the hands of customers. Instead of shutting down manufacturing plants from the supply chain kinks, General Motors adopted a different take on the issue. By simply removing the features that rely on the semiconductor chip, they were able to keep production underway. But now, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, and the Cadillac Escalade will see the return of its best feature after it was temporarily unavailable for the 2022 model. That’s right, Super Cruise is back.
Image copyright Steven Pham Muscle Cars & Trucks.## 2022 Cadillac Escalade Super Cruise Returns
According to the official configurator, all trims for the 2022 Cadillac Escalade except for the base Luxury model can be ordered with the Super Cruise option on the Cadillac website. As a $2,500 option, customers can get their hands free with the Level 3 semi-autonomous driving system exclusive to GM; one that is a class-leading technology. Since the SUV starts at $75,000 (though ATP is much higher), that price really doesn’t seem that drastic, and it’s certainly worth it.
There is speculation that the global semiconductor microchip shortage would persist through next year and perhaps even to 2023. However, now things are looking up as DigiTimes Asia recently released an article sharing further details on the supply improvements for the chips. Inventories of five major automotive chip vendors were reportedly up within the third quarter, which could be an indicator that the shortage is subsiding. Despite seeing a positive turn for the supply shortage, high demand is likely going to cause the shortages to persist into 2022. But it seems to be alleviating nevertheless, which is progress.
Image Via GM
