2015 GMC Yukon Family Designed for Safety and Security -- including Segment's First Front-Center Air Bag

NAPA, CA--Feb. 25, 2014: The new, 2015 GMC Yukon models are equipped with new standard and available driver-alert technologies that add layers of crash-avoidance protection, as well as enhanced occupant protection in the event a crash occurs. They include the segment’s only front-seat center air bag (front bucket-seat models), which is designed to provide additional protection for drivers and passengers in far-side impact crashes.

Active safety features use camera, radar and ultrasonic sensors to provide alerts and intervene when necessary to help avoid crashes.

“The new Yukon family is designed to protect what our customers can’t place a value on – their passengers’ safety and peace of mind,” said Gay Kent, GM general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “And because safety and security go hand in hand, new technologies help protect what they can put a price on – their vehicle.”

The all-new SUVs are also equipped with greater security features to thwart would-be thieves, including available glass breakage, inclination and interior movement sensors and a self-powered horn. Along with triggering the vehicles’ alarm systems, some of the features shut down key control systems to make it almost impossible to start or move them.

Before a crash: prevention and intervention

Because the safest crash is the one that never happens, Yukon models are equipped with standard and available technologies that serve as an extra set of eyes and ears to the driver, including an available Safety Alert Seat that vibrates if the system determines the driver is at risk of colliding with another vehicle.

Driver assistance begins with a standard rear vision camera that shows the area immediately behind the vehicle in the audio system screen. The camera is especially helpful when hooking up a trailer.

Other standard and available driver alert technologies include:

Side Blind Zone Alert – Uses short-range radar sensors in the rear quarter panels to “look” for other vehicles the driver may not be able to see. If the system detects a vehicle in the adjacent lane, it will illuminate an amber symbol in the outside mirror. If the driver signals to change lanes in the direction of the affected vehicle, the symbol will flash amber. It is standard on SLT and Denali models. Lane Change Alert – Uses the Side Blind Zone sensors to warn drivers of fast-approaching vehicles up to 230 feet away in the adjacent lane, not just in the blind zone. It is standard on SLT and Denali models. Rear Cross Traffic Alert – Uses the Side Blind Zone sensors to warn drivers of approaching cross traffic while backing up. The system triggers a visual alert on the navigation screen and pulses the Safety Alert Seat if it detects approaching vehicles up to 65 feet away from the right or left. It is standard on SLT and Denali models. Forward Collision Alert – A camera mounted behind the inside rearview mirror detects when a driver is at risk of hitting the vehicle ahead. A visual alert will display in the instrument cluster and the windshield, and the Safety Alert Seat will pulse several times to warn the driver. It is standard on SLT and Denali models, and available on SLE. Lane Departure Warning – A camera mounted behind the inside rearview mirror detects when the driver drifts into an adjacent lane without signaling, displaying a visual alert in the instrument cluster and pulsing the Safety Alert Seat three times on the side of the lane infraction. It is standard SLT and Denali models, and available in SLE. Adaptive Cruise Control – Long-range radar detects a vehicle ahead and automatically adjusts the vehicle’s speed to maintain a pre-selected distance. It is available on SLT and Denali models. Crash Imminent Braking – If an imminent crash is detected, the brakes will automatically apply to reduce as much vehicle speed as possible to lessen the effects of the collision. Safety Alert Seat – Pulses the left, right or both seat cushion bolsters to alert the driver of a dangerous situation. Standard on SLT and Denali models, and available on SLE.

In addition to driver alert features, standard chassis control crash-avoidance technologies include GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology, trailer sway control, hill-start assist and four-wheel, four-channel anti-lock brakes. An available trailer brake controller conveniently monitors trailer brakes.

During a crash: prepare and protect

The 2015 Yukon models provide two new, standard features for securing occupants in place during a crash: New lap belt pretensioners in the front-seat outboard safety belts, and a segment-exclusive front-seat center air bag.

Similar to shoulder belt pretensioners, the lap belt pretensioner removes slack in the lap belt to help keep occupants properly positioned a collision. The safety belt buckle is also designed to lock during a crash and not allow webbing to slip through the shoulder or lap belt. This helps balance the restraint systems in both frontal and rollover collisions.

“The earlier you can secure the occupant in the vehicle, the longer they have to decelerate during a crash,” said Dave Degeneffe, engineering group manager for safety integration. “People say, ‘every second counts in a crash.’ In our business, milliseconds count.”

Standard on Yukon models with front bucket seats, the new front center air bag, located on the right side of the driver’s seat, is designed to inflate between the driver and front-seat passenger for added protection in far-side impact crashes when the affected occupant is on the non-struck side of the vehicle. The technology was introduced on the GMC Acadia.

A crash course on steel

Not all safety technology is visible to the customer. In the 2015 Yukon lineup, the entire passenger compartment is surrounded by a high-strength steel safety cage, and strategically placed crush zones help absorb and divert crash energy from occupants.

An increased use of high-strength and ultra high-strength steel provide additional protection in the A- and B-pillars, roof rails, body, rocker panels and some body reinforcements and parts. Font frame rails made of high-strength steel include crush management darts to further help control collapse in a collision.

The new Yukon models also were designed to help protect other vehicles that may collide with it. Vehicle compatibility brackets mounted under the front frame rails engage the structure of lower vehicles to better manage vehicle crush.

Other standard occupant protection features include:

Three-point safety belts in in all rear seating positions Other standard air bags and 360-degree sensor system, including: Dual-stage frontal air bags including GM’s Passenger Sensing System Head-curtain side-impact air bags with rollover protection deploy from the roof rail area for outboard passengers Shoulder safety belt energy management system retractors gradually release to limit crash forces on the occupant in a frontal collision Seat-mounted side-impact air bags help protect the chest and pelvic regions of the driver and outside front passenger in a side impact LATCH system helps customers properly install a child seat using a top tether anchor and two lower anchors located between the seat cushion and seatback.

After a collision: OnStar to the rescue

GM’s OnStar in-vehicle communications system provides critical, post-collision assistance to Yukon customers. It uses sensors, wireless technology and the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network to automatically send help to a crash, regardless of air bag deployment.

Immediately after a collision, an OnStar advisor is connected to the vehicle to provide assistance. Even if there is no response, the advisor can pinpoint the vehicle location using GPS technology and request emergency help. The advisor can also relay the severity and type of crash to first responders so they are better prepared when they arrive at the scene.

Other OnStar services include Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Hands-free Calling and OnStar RemoteLink App, which allows customers to control and track certain vehicle functions with a smartphone or computer. A six-month trial subscription to the OnStar Directions and Connections plan is standard on all Yukon and Yukon XL models.

Additional post-crash functions that assist occupants and first responders include automatic fuel system shutoff and door unlock; and automatic illumination of interior and flashing hazard lights.

Staying secure

Understanding that today’s car thieves can be very sophisticated, GMC set out to make the new Yukon models harder to break into or outright steal.

“With vehicle thieves, it’s a race against time,” said Bill Biondo, Global Vehicle Security Lead. “The more we equip the vehicle to resist theft, the longer it takes them to gain access to the vehicle to drive, push or tow it away.”

The 2015 Yukon lineup offers an available security system featuring glass breakage sensors, motion detectors and a self-leveling inclination sensor that sounds an alarm if a thief attempts to steal wheels or tires, or tow or lift the vehicle onto a flatbed truck.

When fully armed by the owner, the alarm emits a high-pitched siren that sounds completely different from the vehicle’s horn. The horn also sounds to alert passersby. A battery pack installed in a hard-to-find (for criminals) and protected location enables the alarm siren to operate for a limited amount of time if a thief tries to cut off the main power source.

The advanced theft protection package also includes door shields in the driver’s door, which help block access to those using a “slim jim”-type unlocking device. Additional anti-theft features include enhanced door security, laminated windshield glass and a steering column lock.

All 2015 Yukon models include free-wheeling door lock cylinders designed to resist an attempted break in.