How The Hummer EV's UltraVision Can Take You Further Off Road
UltraVision might sound like a superpower possessed by a cosmic comic book hero, but rest assured ... it's as real as GMC can manage on its all-electric Hummers. The feature is pretty darn spectacular.
The GMC UltraVision system is designed to be a "virtual spotter" that can provide real-time high-definition video feeds from nine cameras and give up to 18 different camera views from around the vehicle, including the beast's underbelly.
These cameras will come in quite handy if you're off-roading and find yourself navigating through a tight rock formation so as to avoid dinging up your $100,000 rig or in the city trying to jam the monster into a Mini Cooper-sized parking spot without ripping bumpers or side mirrors off other cars.
Cameras are housed in the front end, the rear tailgate, and each side mirror. Two wide-angle lens cameras sit underneath – one facing forward toward the front wheels and another pointing back toward the rear wheels. One located in the center high-mounted stop lamp peeks into the bed. Owners can add an extra camera but must buy and install it separately.
Together, the system can provide a variety of split-screen and multi-camera views (18 on the pickup, 17 on the SUV) that include a mix of front, rear, side, and belly camera feeds. While aftermarket undercarriage camera systems are available, GMC's built-in UltraVision is a real game changer to Hummer off-roaders since it gives them an internally designed system built specifically for their vehicle.
Like having eyes in the back, sides, and bottom of your head
It can provide solo feeds from each camera, showing what's coming and what you're running over. Even more beneficial, it can be split-screened to offer a combined view showing all four tires simultaneously when precision placement and maneuvering are critical. Not only do the underbody cameras have the Hummer's skid plate protecting them, but they're also covered with a transparent lens protector. Should the lenses get dirty (and you know they will), the driver can activate the nifty wash nozzle feature to clean away the gunk.
Other views include a side rearward POV looking down either side of the vehicle (from the external rearview mirrors) and include a trailer length indicator. When off-roading, this POV can be used to see the middle of the vehicle to avoid rocks or other obstacles. Surround View uses the cameras mounted on the outside rearview mirrors to show a top-down bird's eye view of the entire vehicle.
UltraVision has some limitations, though. The cameras will not transmit images if the vehicle goes over 50 miles per hour. The undercarriage camera views won't change while shifting between forward and reverse gears or if the vehicle is going faster than 8 miles per hour (for safety reasons). Additionally, some camera views need that extra "sold separately" camera, and the system isn't compatible with every trailer. Also, some camera views don't work when the Hummer is in CrabWalk mode.