What are the different levels of autonomous driving?
Created by Ana Faustino at Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Car autonomy has been a hot topic in recent years, and did you know that there are several levels depending on the need for driver intervention during the driving process?
Most brands are betting on driving assistance systems, and some of these mechanisms will become compulsory in new cars from this year, as we've already shown you HERE, where we explained speed limiters.
On the other hand, there are still brands that are skeptical about this, such as Porsche, which claims to be committed to driving pleasure. It's also true that the same thing has happened with the electrification of vehicles and nowadays there's rarely a brand that doesn't have at least one electric model.
The autonomy of the vehicles depends on the role of the driver during the journey and the classification varies from a first level, in which the driver is 100% responsible for driving the car, to a last level, in which there is no human interaction during the journey.
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The classification of autonomous driving levels is as follows:
Level 0: Everything is controlled by the driver. There is no cruise control, brake assist or any other type of driving aid;
Level 1: There are one or more driving assistance systems, but the driver often has to take control;
Level 2: There are several driving assistance systems, but the driver is required to detect the presence of obstacles and take control of the vehicle when necessary;
Level 3: This is the first, most advanced level, with "semi-autonomous" driving, which in some countries already requires permits for use on public roads. It allows the driver to turn their attention away from the road in certain situations, such as on highways, as the system detects the presence of other vehicles and can read most vertical signs. The driver must be prepared to take control if and when necessary;
Level 4: This is a very advanced level of autonomous driving in which the car is able to control everything around it. For safety reasons, however, the driver may have to intervene. There are already manufacturers with cars with level 4 autonomous driving, but legislation in most countries does not yet allow this to work 100%;
Level 5: Maximum level. Setting the destination, starting the engine and all maneuvers are carried out 100% autonomously, with no intervention required.
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Several brands already have models available with very high levels of automation, but they are waiting for the legislation in their countries to change so that they can be used. In Portugal, for example, it is explicitly stated in the highway code that all vehicles or animals circulating on public roads must have a driver.
Currently, all driving assistance systems are optional and can be switched off by the driver. In the near future, with the changes we've seen, there could be cars without steering wheels or pedals.
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Source: razaoautomovel.com
Translated with DeepL.com
