A pillar of that interior is a premium sound system with all the latest connections and audio capabilities.
The Cadillac CUE system, which will make its market debut on the 2013 XTS sedan, adds a new capability to the list: HD Radio. According to Cadillac, it will be the first U.S. automaker to offer HD Radio standard when it launches the XTS next spring.
While HD Radio might not be quite as dramatic a jump as HD television, it's based on a related technology--digital broadcasting. Digital signals deliver better sound quality across both AM and FM bands than traditional analog signals, so you enjoy crisp sound.
Unlike analog radio, HD Radio displays information like artist and song, which will be made available via the CUE system's display. Cadillac owners will also enjoy iTunes tagging, allowing them to easily save a song that they hear on the radio so that they can purchase it on iTunes later. They'll also be able to pause HD Radio programming for up to 20 minutes.
HD Radio delivers many of the same advantages as satellite radio without the added cost of a subscription.
Though it's a better product than traditional radio, radio is radio, and you'll undoubtedly get bored with the options at certain points in the commute. With MP3 connectivity, smartphone connectivity, apps like Pandora and Sirius XM satellite radio, drivers will have enough entertainment options for even the longest of road trips, all accessible via CUE's intuitive user interface.
In addition to HD Radio, the CUE system offers a host of other technological advantages. It's GM's latest attempt at streamlining all of life's entertainment, data and driving information into a simple, easy-to-use vehicle platform. You can read more ins and outs of CUE here.
