The 6 Levels of Vehicle Autonomy
The 6 Levels of Vehicle Autonomy Explained
The automotive industry has come a long way over the years. Where the gas-powered engine was once the latest innovation, perhaps the biggest development of the 21st century has been the introduction of autonomous vehicles.
More specifically, the last decade or so has seen development in this technology make significant strides, with the first variations of autonomous vehicles appearing on roads around the world.
Despite the obvious increase in autonomous vehicles, we’re a long way off from any sci-fi movie type scenarios just yet.
In reality, there are six levels of vehicle autonomy. Each level relates to different types of autonomous vehicles, with different specifications needing to be met at each level.
This article will explore each level of vehicle autonomy, outlining everything you need to know about driverless vehicles.
To Download the Full-Size PDF: The 6 Levels of Vehicle Autonomy Explained
Level 0 – No Driving Automation
The easiest level to understand, because there is no automation at all. Level 0 relates to almost every car you’ll see out on the road today. All driving functions are manually carried out, and at most there may be some emergency brake systems or cruise control systems implemented.
Level 1 – Driver Assistance
The lowest level of actual automation is driver assistance. The vehicle features a single automated system, such as steering or accelerating, but overall the human driver remains responsible for full control of the car.
Level 2 – Partial Driving Automation
This relates to the inclusion of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, otherwise known as ADAS. Cars can brake, steer and accelerate on behalf of the driver in certain situations. However, the human driver is still required to be in full control. Level 2 is the final layer of vehicle automation that needs the human to be fully monitoring all driving functions.
Level 3 – Conditional Driving Automation
At this point, the vehicle’s automated system will begin monitoring the driving environment. The technology jump from Level 2 to Level 3 is the most significant so far and has ‘environment detection’ capabilities in place. This means that it can take responsibility for most driving tasks and can even make decisions for itself, such as overtaking slow-moving vehicles. While the driver doesn’t necessarily have to have their hands on the steering wheel at all times, they will need to be fully concentrated and able to take full control at a moment’s notice.
Level 4 – High Driving Automation
The biggest difference between Level 3 and Level 4 is that high driving automation can also intervene if something goes wrong or there is a system failure. With this in mind, in the majority of scenarios, the human driver is not required. However, the human can intervene and take control at any time if they wish.
Currently, there are only very few Level 4 autonomous vehicles in existence. This is largely because the infrastructure and legislation haven’t yet caught up with the technology – meaning they’re restricted to certain areas which are predominantly urban. Due to this, the few Level 4 vehicles that do exist are mainly ridesharing companies such as Lyft and Waymo.
Level 5 – Full Driving Automation
The highest level of automation, Level 5 vehicles do not currently exist but will be able to handle all driving functions in all conditions. It’s estimated that Level 5 vehicles won’t even include steering wheels or pedals, and will be able to operate without human beings inside them. While the software and hardware is available, we’re a while off yet from seeing them on the roads.
To Download the Full-Size PDF: The 6 Levels of Vehicle Autonomy Explained
Who is responsible if an accident occurs in an autonomous vehicle?
One of the biggest concerns regarding autonomous vehicles has been safety. While the technology is designed to detect obstacles and hazards on the roads, and should avoid collisions accordingly, some people have been left feeling uneasy about such a departure from the norm.
In April 2022, the UK government outlined guidance that suggested drivers will be able to watch television in their cars when autonomous vehicles do become commonplace. With a full framework set to be introduced in 2025, there has been a lot of debate about who is responsible should an accident occur.
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), liability will fall at the feet of manufacturers and insurance companies should accidents happen – not human drivers.
However, Mercedes, who are preparing to launch a new level 3 autonomous vehicle this year, have disputed this, asserting that they will only take responsibility for any accidents if a fault has occurred with their specific technology – not if “the driver fails to respond to their duty of care” such as not taking control of the vehicle when instructed.
It’s likely that these types of debates will continue long into the future, which brings us neatly to…
The Future of Autonomous Vehicles
While there’s still a way to go until autonomous vehicles become commonplace, there’s no doubting that this is the direction the industry is travelling in. By 2025, there will be around eight million semi-autonomous vehicles on the roads, with 21 million worldwide by 2035.
At the moment, Level 3 autonomous vehicles are the most common type and even more manufacturers are set to introduce the tech to their products in 2023. By the mid-2020s, Level 4 cars should be more prevalent and fully autonomous vehicles could be here in greater numbers by the end of the decade.
Unsurprisingly, the USA is the most advanced country when it comes to autonomous vehicles, with over 135,000 driverless car patents. China is a close second with over 132,000 patents, with Japan, South Korea and Germany rounding up the top five most autonomous-ready countries. This means these are the places we’re most likely to see them become commonplace first.
There’s no doubt that autonomous vehicles are the future of the automotive industry. At The Windscreen Company, we’re always keen to stay up to date with the latest industry news and trends in order to best serve our clients throughout the West Midlands and South East. Providing leading windscreen services to vehicles of all types, whether you drive a car that has some autonomous features or none at all, we’re here to help. Our team of trained technicians can provide quality windscreen repairs or replacements that ensure you’re safe when out on the road. To find out more, contact The Windscreen Company today.