Many people believe that autonomous driving technology is the same as driverless driving, but in reality, driverless driving is 100% done by machines. However, autonomous driving technology is not like that; it includes many more automated functions.
According to SAE standards, autonomous vehicles are classified into six levels based on their level of intelligence and automation: no automation (L0), driver assistance (L1), partial automation (L2), conditional automation (L3), high automation (L4), and full automation (L5).
To more easily differentiate and define autonomous driving technologies, the classification of autonomous driving systems has become a major issue. Currently, the two globally recognized classification systems in the automotive industry are proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). This article will use the more detailed SAE version as an example to examine the functional responsibilities of autonomous driving technologies from Level 0 to Level 5.
Level 0 (L0) driving is entirely driven by a driver and is considered pure manual driving. The car only executes commands and does not intervene in driving.
Driving assistance (L1) refers to the ability of automated systems to assist drivers in completing certain driving tasks. For example, lane keeping systems and automatic braking systems fall under the category of L1 level autonomous driving.
Partial automation (L2) refers to a system that can perform certain driving tasks, but the driver needs to monitor the driving environment and be ready to take over at any time. Currently, most automakers have achieved L2 level autonomous driving technology, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC) and automatic lane changing by simply using the turn signal. At this stage, although the machine can independently complete some combined driving tasks, the driver still needs to keep both hands and feet on the steering wheel and brake pedal, ready to respond at any time.
With Level 3 autonomous driving technology, drivers will no longer need to keep their hands and feet on standby, as the machine can independently complete almost all driving operations. However, drivers still need to maintain their attention in order to deal with situations that the artificial intelligence may not be able to handle.
Both Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous driving technologies can be called fully autonomous driving technologies. At this level, the car can perform all driving operations without driver intervention, allowing the driver to focus on other aspects such as work or rest. However, the difference lies in the specific scenarios: Level 4 autonomous driving is applicable to certain scenarios, typically in cities or on highways. Level 5, on the other hand, requires the autonomous vehicle to be able to drive fully autonomously in any scenario.
Currently, most autonomous driving systems we see in cars are at Level 2, with some higher-end models reaching Level 3. However, achieving Level 4 and Level 5 remains quite challenging. Nevertheless, with continuous technological advancements, it's believed that fully autonomous driving will become a standard feature in cars in the near future.
