With crossovers and SUVs dominating sales, minivans are no longer a popular staple of the US auto industry. It's a different story in China, however, where minivans are more popular than ever. To capitalize on the demand, Buick sells the opulent GL8 Avenir MPV inspired by the GL8 Avenir Concept, which is far more luxurious than American minivans like the Chrysler Pacifica and Honda Odyssey.

For the 2021 model year, the GL8 Avenir has been updated with advanced vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, making Buick one of the first automotive brands in China to adopt the tech that enables vehicles to communicate with each other along with the traffic infrastructure to improve safety.

Eight vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) safety applications are supported, including emergency braking warning, control loss warning, abnormal vehicle warning, intersection collision warning, speed limit warning, signal violation warning, hazard location warning, and green light optimization speed advisory.

Buick's V2X technology has fast connectivity and data transmission that analyzes complex and challenging road environments beyond the driver's line of sight. Control loss warning with V2V, for example, warns the driver if it detects another vehicle in front and activates the anti-lock brakes or stability control to prevent a crash. Green light optimization speed advisor with V2I, on other hand, provides an advised speed for reaching the next intersection when the traffic light is green. In China, the V2X technology package is available for the 2021 GL8 Avenir for RMB 10,000 ($1,526).

In addition, the GL8 ES variant now has over 20 advanced driver-assists, including lane center cruising, traffic jam assist, hands-off detection and door opening warning. Automatic cruise control, front crash alert, an innovative streaming mirror and a 360-degree surround vision system are also equipped as standard. "The new entries showcase the relentless evolution of Buick's flagship, setting a new industry benchmark in safety and intelligent driving," said Molly Peck, executive director of Buick Sales and Marketing at SAIC-GM.

"Building upon the sculptural design and high level of comfort that Buick is known for, the rollout of innovative technologies is reinforcing the brand as the forward-looking technology leader, offering our customers a safer and smarter mobility experience for tomorrow."