Why C8 and Caddy FOBs Were Alike

[John]

Thank you GM Authority for explaining in great detail something you broke many months ago. We appreciate your thorough follow up.

BTW, I subscribe to GMA, get it in my morning email. I learn a lot about GM products from it.

Here’s Why The 2020 Corvette Prototype Had A Cadillac Key Fob

BY JONATHAN LOPEZ

• — AUG 13, 2019

Late last year, we reported that a 2020 Corvette C8 prototype was running around with what appeared to be a Cadillac key fob. The key fob had a Cadillac logo on the rear and seven familiar buttons on the front, as well as a new shape, raising speculation that the C8 would actually be a Cadillac model and not a Chevy, or conversely, Cadillac would get a version of the C8. Now, however, we know that this key fob mixup was actually a result of GM’s decision to move the 2020 Corvette to its new Global B electronic architecture.

For those who may be unaware, GM officially announced its Global B digital electronic architecture back in May. The new digital “nervous system” provides greater connectivity and data processing power than GM’s outgoing electronic system. Global B is required for future GM endeavors into all-electric propulsion systems, safety systems, autonomous driving systems, and various advanced infotainment features, to deliver over-the-air (OTA) updates to the car as well as to transfer signals quicker and more efficiently between a vehicle’s myriad of components. The two GM vehicles to get Global B are the Cadillac CT5, which launches this fall, and the 2020 Corvette C8. However, it wasn’t always that way.

Roughly halfway through development of the 2020 Corvette C8, GM decided it wanted its new supercar to utilize Global B. The change added a whopping six months to development time – a story that GM Authority exclusively broke in December. No doubt, the decision to use Global B in the C8 caused some major headaches among Chevrolet engineers.

2020 Corvette C8 key fob

Either way, the move to Global B completely explains this mystery Cadillac key fob and how it’s related to the C8. Essentially, engineers were repurposing a Cadillac CT5 key fob with the 2020 Corvette C8 prototype, since they had yet to create a Corvette-specific version. Since both the CT5 and C8 use Global B, using a key fob already developed for the Cadillac sedan was a no-brainer.



There’s a few other interesting tidbits to this story left to tell. Late last month, we reported on rumors that GM is considering a spin-off Corvette brand, complete with a Corvette SUV/crossover and Corvette sedan. What’s more, the rumors were packaged with speculation that Cadillac could utilize the new C8 platform to create its own version of the mid-engine sports car.

Whether or not that will happen is still unknown… but if it were to take place, Caddy already has the key fob for the job.

Subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

Read more: http://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/08/...#ixzz5wVDb7KBh

[Mobius]

Roughly halfway through development of the 2020 Corvette C8, GM decided it wanted its new supercar to utilize Global B. The change added a whopping six months to development time – a story that GM Authority exclusively broke in December. No doubt, the decision to use Global B in the C8 caused some major headaches among Chevrolet engineers.

I'd say this puts to bed the rumor that the C8 was delayed due to "electrical problems".

The delay was in fact caused by a Corporate decision to integrate the new Global B system into the C8, in the middle of the vehicle's development.

Too bad they didn't think of it sooner.

[meyerweb]

Hmm, sounds good, but....

Why did the Cadillac branded fob have buttons for a convertible top and a power frunk (or front hood), and a rear hatch rather than a trunk? There's no convertible CT5, and while a power front hood release is possible, it seems odd. This explanation says GM could build a new front with different buttons, and different internals to control these function, but not a new back?

I ain't buying it. GM may have left a Cadillac logo on it to fool people, like they did with the camo on the C8, but no way this is simply a Caddy key fob. The buttons are all different, which means the switches on the circuit board are all different, and the signals being sent to the car are different, which means different firmware.



The Caddy fob is the same shape, but that's all:

[John]

One notable thing is that the original release of the C8 was never at January’s NAIAS, but months later. The six month delay is incorrect. Think half of that, and as noted in the article, it was not any lapses by the Corvette team, but a corporate decision to include the last OTA software capability, much better anti-hacking measures and other digital improvements, that collecting created the three months delay.

[JB]

Good information and now all the “tuners” are sweating the over the air retune capability of the c8 platform.

i dont care as Im not retuning the pcm ...any car that can get to sixty mph in less than three seconds doesnt need to be messed with...

interesting report John.

thank you for sharing. I would imagine a spin off to the cadillac brand should it survive the next ten years which I think it will should have a c8 derivative.

i wouldnt be surprised if the central backbone chassis of the c8 could be altered to support a full ev vehicle ...under the cadillac nameplate...

the construction of the c8 is so ingenious I believe the flexibility of the chassis could easily deliver gas or electric vehicles and of various wheelbase width and length.

think about how the 6 pieces of chassis and how they bolt right up to the central tunnel.

changing the size of the 6 pieces and or the central back bone structure gives an infinite degree of flexibility...for future models...

doesnt even have to be rear mid engine.

GM engineering and design is far above what we can even imagine.

i think their will be a blackwing powered cadillac branded rear mid engine vehicle. I also believe as cadillac enters its next stage of marketing and engineering as theEV leader for Gm...we can even see an all electric cadillac roadster t9 do battle with elon musks tesla supercar..

just shooting the breeze as we await August 15 th and all the havoc it will cast on the automotive world...

[Mobius]

...any car that can get to sixty mph in less than three seconds doesn't need to be messed with...

I like that line, and I'm definitely gonna use it when talking with friends (or strangers for that matter).