The 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are set to receive an upgraded Adaptive Ride Control suspension system designed to improve ride quality and handling. General Motors is adding another wheel position sensor to the system, giving its next-generation full-size pickups more data to help adjust suspension damping while driving.
The suspension upgrade is among the latest developments for the 2027 model year, as Chevrolet and GMC prepare updates that also include new powertrains and additional features.
How GM’s Adaptive Ride Control System Works
General Motors’ Adaptive Ride Control, commonly known as ARC, is based on the principles of Continuous Damping Control. The technology adjusts suspension damping in real time, helping the vehicle respond to changing road conditions and improve ride comfort.
The system uses wheel position sensors, a dedicated control module and electronic actuators. The actuators open and close valves in the dampers, allowing the suspension to continuously adjust its damping characteristics while the vehicle is moving.
ARC offers a less expensive and less complex alternative to Magnetic Ride Control, another adaptive suspension technology used by General Motors. Magnetic Ride Control uses magnetorheological fluid, while ARC relies on conventional dampers equipped with valves and electronic actuators.
Although Magnetic Ride Control is a more advanced option in the adaptive suspension market, ARC provides a different approach to adjusting suspension performance without the more complex technology.
What’s Changing for the 2027 Silverado and Sierra?
The key change for the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra is the addition of a fourth wheel position sensor. The current system uses three sensors, while the upgraded version will add another sensor at the rear of each truck.
The additional sensor will provide another stream of information to the system’s computer, allowing it to build a more detailed picture of suspension movement and determine the appropriate damping adjustments.
With more data available, the system is expected to make more precise suspension adjustments. The additional information is intended to further optimize ride quality and handling, building on the capabilities of the existing ARC setup.
GM Engineer Highlights Ride and Handling Improvements
Mark Dickens, General Motors’ executive chief engineer for the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, highlighted the impact of the additional sensor.
“you really have to drive it. The tuning improvements with the extra sensor deliver substantial improvements in ride and handling.”
The upgraded Adaptive Ride Control system represents another planned change for GM’s full-size pickup trucks for the 2027 model year. The additional sensor is designed to give the suspension system more information, enabling more refined adjustments as the Silverado and Sierra travel across different road conditions.
