Cadillac's CUE iPad app. Image: © GM Corp.
When Hyundai launched its upscale Equus sedan in the United States, it did so with an innovative marketing move: rather than include a paper version of the owners manual, it loaded the full document onto an Apple iPad, which was included with the purchase of the car. That lasted exactly one model year, and Equus models now come with an abbreviated owners manual and a a DVD packed with the full version.
To mark the launch of its CUE (Cadillac User Experience) infotainment system in the upcoming Cadillac XTS, the luxury automaker is doing something very similar. XTS buyers will get a free iPad, but it won’t come loaded with just the car’s owner’s manual. Instead, it will contain an app that mirrors the CUE interface, allowing XTS buyers to learn the system when and where they choose.
The iPad will also contain the MyCadillac app, which allows owners to locate a dealer, schedule service, read the owners manual, get reminders on parking or summon roadside assistance, and the OnStar RemoteLink app, which allows remote locking and unlocking of doors and displays the status of various vehicle systems.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
We think this is a smart move on behalf of Cadillac, since infotainment systems can be challenging for some customers to learn (just ask Ford and Lincoln). To ensure this isn’t a problem with CUE, Cadillac is also deploying 25 Connected Customer Experts across the United States to provide a training resource for dealers and customers. It’s even added CUE experts to its customer service center in Austin, Texas, ensuring that questions on specific smartphones and CUE features are answered quickly and accurately.
Just in case that’s not enough, every new XTS and ATS buyer will receive a welcome call from Cadillac, giving buyers a personal contact should questions arise.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
