Many GM vehicles are equipped with active safety and driver assistance features designed to help you drive more safely. Some are designed to help you understand where other vehicles and objects are on the road, depending on your vehicle’s location and other factors. Others can even provide steering assistance or automatic braking.
This article will help you understand which features are equipped on your vehicle and how they’re designed to be used.
How to Use Safety Features on Your Vehicle
1. The safety and driver assistance features your vehicle is equipped with can vary depending on your vehicle’s trim level, brand and model.
2. The easiest way to find out which features are on your vehicle is to check your vehicle’s Settings menu on your center display.
3. In the Settings menu, select the Vehicle submenu.
4. Depending on your vehicle, you’ll see a Collision/Detection Systems submenu, or a list of safety and driver assistance features.
5. Tap each feature for a short description of what it does and any customization options.
6. For most features, you can choose to turn the feature on or off. For others, you can adjust the kind of alerts you get.
7. Some features, like Forward Collision Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control, have steering wheel controls that let you choose things like the vehicle following gap. These controls are explained in more detail in the articles for those features.
a. Learn about Forward Collision Alert
b. Learn about Adaptive Cruise Control
8. Some safety and driver assistance technologies require certain trim levels, options or packages. Your Dealer can help you figure out exactly what equipment your vehicle has.
Safety Feature Alerts and Safety Alert Seat
1. Some safety features may beep or alert you frequently. You can turn most of these off in the Settings menu.
2. If you’d still like to use safety features but don’t want them to beep, you can choose to get alerts from the Safety Alert Seat instead (if your vehicle has that feature).
3. To use Safety Alert Seat, go into the Settings menu.
a. Depending on your vehicle, you may have to go to the Vehicle submenu, the Comfort and Convenience submenu, or the Alert Type menu to turn Safety Alert Seat on.
How to See Different Camera Views (if equipped):
Many vehicles have different camera views designed to help you see the area around your vehicle. The views you can see vary by vehicle and trim level, but for most vehicles, this is how camera features work:
1. Press the Camera icon on your center display to access the Camera app. When you enter the app, you may see the following, depending on your vehicle:
a. A camera view displayed in the middle.
b. Icons that represent different views along the left or bottom of the screen. Press these icons to switch between views.
c. On some vehicles with multiple views, you will have to select the direction of the views you want. For example, you may need to select Front or Rear from the display, then choose the specific view you want to see.
d. If your vehicle has the available Surround View feature and you’ve turned it on, you may see an overhead Surround View/Overhead/Top-Down View of your vehicle on the side of the screen.
i. If enabled, depending on your vehicle, the Top-Down View may display to the left or right of the currently selected view. On older vehicles, this view may consistently display when you’re parked or driving at low speeds.
2. Press the icons along the left or bottom of the screen to change views.
3. Press the toggle switches to enable/disable certain views and image overlays.
4. On some newer vehicles, you can see most camera views at any speed except Bowl View.
5. Keep time spent looking at camera views while driving at a minimum. You must remain an attentive driver at all times.
6. Most vehicles are equipped with a Rear Vision Camera that will automatically turn on when you shift to REVERSE. Depending on your vehicle, this view can show guidelines that are designed to predict the path of your vehicle. You can turn those on or off with the guideline buttons that show up on the screen.
List of Customizable Safety Features
Depending on your vehicle’s equipment, you may be able to personalize the following safety and driver assistance features. Examples of some customization options are listed below for certain features.
For some features, you can choose to receive audio beep alerts or Safety Alert Seat vibration pulses (if equipped). Other features can be modified or disabled entirely. It is recommended that you only adjust safety and driver assistance feature settings when your vehicle is in PARK.
You may be able to customize more than what is listed here. Check your Owner’s Manual for detailed information on the safety features equipped on your vehicle.
7. Automatic Emergency Braking
8. Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking
9. Forward Collision Alert
10. Front Pedestrian Braking
11. Adaptive Cruise Control
a. Enable or disable Go Notifier, which alerts you when vehicle resumes after slowing to a stop
12. Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
13. Front and Rear Park Assist
14. HD Surround Vision
15. Rear Vision Camera
16. Rear Cross Traffic Alert System
17. Rear Pedestrian Alert
18. Side Bicyclist Alert
19. Super Cruise®† driver assistance technology (if equipped)
a. Enable, disable or customize available Automatic Lane Change (if equipped)
Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. The driver should remain attentive to traffic, surroundings and road conditions at all times. Visibility, weather, and road conditions may affect feature performance. Read the vehicle Owner’s Manual for more important feature limitations and information.
For your security, please don’t include personal info such as phone number, address or credit card details.
Related Links and Resources
Q&As
Looking for something else?
Need more help?
Communicate with one of our specialists.
To find out if your vehicle has this feature, contact your dealer or refer to your vehicle’s equipment list. Please check your Owner’s Manual for more information about features.