Cadillac Vibrating Safety Seat Alert — ABTL Auto Extras

Cadillac has rolled out a new safety feature across the brand’s entire model lineup. It’s called the Vibrating Safety Alert Seat, and it’s demonstrated in this Autobytel video. When the car is in a variety of different, potentially dangerous scenarios, the seat vibrates to alert the driver to take action. The Safety Alert Seat can vibrate either the left side or the right side of the driver’s seat, and the alert is activated thanks to a network of sensors mounted around the perimeter of the car. However, the system is subtle — the alarm doesn’t make any noise or provide any other types of visual or audio cues. Only the driver knows if the seat is vibrating, so it seems kind of stealthy, except our Autobytel reviewer said the vibration provides better warning than a sound. This Autobytel video, hosted by Road Test Editor Benjamin Hunting, features a 2014 Cadillac CTS equipped with the new Vibrating Safety Alert Seat system. Benjamin says the system is kind of like a digital rumble strip, because the side of the seat’s vibrations is based on the direction the car is traveling. It might be easy to dismiss this new safety system as a gimmick, but the Vibrating Safety Alert Seat might, over time, demonstrate that it provides real benefits.