The Cadillac Lyriq Gets Some Nice Upgrades In March

Cadillac Lyriq owners can expect some nice upgrades to their cars in March, General Motors said on Friday. It's a bit of positive news during the otherwise choppy rollout of GM's new electric platform. 

The software update adds a few improvements. Perhaps most notably, Super Cruise, GM's hands-off highway-driving system, should require fewer interventions from drivers after the update. Similar improvements are headed for the Lyriq's hands-on adaptive cruise control feature, which automatically follows lane lines and keeps up with traffic—under driver supervision, of course.

The upgrade also includes more convenient touchscreen controls for the garage door opener and glove box, along with better performance in the myCadillac mobile app.  

The nice thing about today's software-heavy vehicles is that upgrading them with new and improved features is easier than ever. Interestingly, though, Lyriq owners will have to go to a dealer to receive this upcoming update. They won't be able to just download it through the internet. 

GM's transformation into a fully zero-emission automaker hasn't been terribly smooth as of late. It struggled to ramp up production of EVs, that use its new Ultium battery technology, including the Lyriq. It recently paused sales of the Chevrolet Blazer EV after reports of software glitches. And it's delayed the launch of some new electric models, citing lower-than-expected consumer demand.

But the Lyriq is something of a bright spot. After a slow start to 2023, GM wound up selling 9,154 Lyriqs last year. That's not a huge number, but it beat out the automaker's other new EVs by a long shot. 

GM sold just 482 Blazer EVs, 3,244 GMC Hummer EVs, and 461 Silverado EV pickups. It's worth noting here that GM's electric best sellers were the aging Bolt twins. The Bolt EV hatchback and Bolt EUV compact SUV were responsible for a combined 62,045 sales, but they've been discontinued (in their current iteration) to make way for GM's next-gen EVs.