Lucid Rolls Out Hands-Free Driving for GravityLucid (Lucid)Lucid rolls out hands-free driving in the Gravity SUV, a year after after it's been available in the Air sedans.It's coming via an over-the-air update for Gravitys in North America.No indication on price or whether it'll be retroactively available.The Lucid Air sedan got hands-free driving assist last year, now Lucid is adding it to the Gravity SUV.When we drove the new Lucid Gravity just two months ago, we had a blast. The accommodating SUV actually drifted in the dirt and did it more smoothly than almost any other car, truck, or SUV on the market. All that software controlling power and torque distribution, along with all that data gathered up by the ABS and traction control systems went to work to make the Gravity a thrill.AdvertisementAdvertisementEven more data will now help drive the car, too.Lucid (Lucid)On current Lucid Airs with DreamDrive, there are 20 sensors and cameras. On Lucids with DreamDrive Premium, there are 24 sensors and cameras. Step up to DreamDrive Pro and current Airs get Lucid's most advanced ADAS level with semi-autonomous driving features. Those include all the features included in DreamDrive Premium, plus Hands-Free Drive Assist, Lucid's Level 2 ADAS feature.The Gravity I drove in April had 12 cameras on the outside, two on the inside, five radar units, and one Lidar sensor all looking around. At that drive we did last April, Lucid said the Gravity was capable of Level 3 autonomy, though it was only set up and approved for less-sophisticated Level 2.Now Lucid has announced it is performing an over the air update (OTA) introducing DreamDrive 2 Pro to add "hands-free driving capabilities" along with enhancements to navigation, charging experience, and everyday usability.AdvertisementAdvertisementLucid did not say it is introducing Level 3, eyes-off hands-off driving, though not having to grip the steering wheel is, indeed, a big step up for the Gravity.Here's more on what Lucid says the new updates will allow, which sounds like what's already available on the Lucid Air sedan:"Hands-Free Drive Assist supports steering, acceleration, and braking on compatible highways in North America. When the driver signals, Hands-Free Lane Change can guide the vehicle into an adjacent lane when it is safe to do so. Automatic Lane Change can also initiate passing maneuvers to overtake slower traffic."Below are other updates Lucid debuted in the same announcement.AdvertisementAdvertisementLucid (Lucid)Smarter navigation with Google Maps Places integration: Lucid says its navigation now integrates Google Maps Places API to provide "richer, more contextual search results. Drivers can view improved business details, ratings, photos, and parking information, along with enhanced charging station listings that include more accurate real-time availability and recent imagery."Lucid (Lucid)Adaptive driving beam headlights for better night driving: Adaptive Driving Beam, available on DreamDrive Premium and DreamDrive 2 Pro, improves nighttime visibility by maintaining high beams while dynamically adjusting around other vehicles to reduce glare.Lucid (Lucid)New insights about charging and energy efficiency: New features such as Advanced Preconditioning View and Predictive Charging Power provide greater transparency into battery temperature and expected peak charging performance before plugging in.The next big announcement will come whenever Lucid offers Level 3, where you can, as Jim Morrison intoned in Roadhouse Blues, take your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road. Right now only Mercedes offers legal, production-ready SAE Level 3 automated driving, though BMW and Honda have deployed limited Level 3 systems globally.
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