Self driving cars where are we?

The shortage of semi conductor chips bought to focus on how automation has increased usage of chips in cars .Increasing automation is coming to more and more cars these days. Newer Vehicles already stay within lanes, maintain appropriate distance from the car ahead, park themselves. These are some of self driving capabilities that are being added ,but how far are from full self driving cars?

Not Very Far. Below article explains the different levels of self driving cars and the roadmap when the cars will be on the road

what is a self driving cars?

“Automated vehicles are those in which at least some aspects of a safety-critical control function (e.g., steering, acceleration, or braking) occur without direct driver input.

According to NHSTA,Automated vehicles are those in which at least some aspects of a safety-critical control function (e.g., steering, acceleration, or braking) occur without direct driver input.

🚘 Classification of self driving car technology based on Automated driving capability

There are 5 levels of self driving cars based on automation features the car is capable off

Ref:SAE.org

🐂 Level 0 – No Driving Automation

You Drive, You Monitor

Level 0 (zero) refers to a vehicle that has no driving automation technology. In this case, the driver is entirely in charge of operating the vehicle’s movement, including steering, accelerating, braking, parking, and any other necessary maneuver to move the car in any direction.

Example of vehicle technologies:

• automatic emergency braking
• forward collision warning
• lane departure warning

Ex: A 1967 Porsche 911, a 2018 Kia Rio,

🚋 Level1- Driver Assistance

Driver Assistance

System provides continuous assistance with either acceleration/braking OR steering, while driver remains fully engaged and attentive

You Drive, You Monitor

You, as the driver, are responsible for driving the vehicle. When engaged, the system can perform either steering OR acceleration/braking.

Example of vehicle technologies:

• adaptive cruise control
• lane keeping assistance

Vehicle Ex: Honda,Toyato (All New cars)

🚉 Level2-Additional Assitance

Additional Assistance

System provides continuous assistance with both acceleration/braking AND steering, while driver remains fully engaged and attentive.

You Drive, You Monitor

You, as the driver, are responsible for driving the vehicle. When engaged, the system can perform steering AND acceleration/braking.

Example of vehicle technologies:

• highway pilot

Vehicle Ex: Audi Traffic Jam Assist, Mercedes-Benz Driver Assistance Systems, Tesla Autopilot, Volvo Pilot Assist.

🚆 Level-3 -Conditional Automation

System actively performs driving tasks while driver remains available to take over.

System Drives, You Must Be Available To Take Over Upon Request

When engaged, the system handles all aspects of the driving task while you, as the driver, are available to take over driving if requested. If the system can no longer operate and prompts the driver, the driver must be available to resume all aspects of the driving task.

Ex Technolog

Traffic jam chauffer

THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON TODAY’S VEHICLES FOR CONSUMER PURCHASE IN THE UNITED STATES.

🚄Level-4-High Automation

System is fully responsible for driving tasks within limited service areas while occupants act only as passengers and do not need to be engaged.

When Engaged, System Drives, You Ride

When engaged, the system handles all driving tasks while you, now the passenger, are not needed to maneuver the vehicle. The system can only operate the vehicle in limited service areas, not universally. A human driver is not needed to operate the vehicle.

THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON TODAY’S VEHICLES FOR CONSUMER PURCHASE.

🪄 Level-5 -Full Automation

Full Automation

System is fully responsible for driving tasks while occupants act only as passengers and do not need to be engaged.

When Engaged, System Drives, You Ride

When engaged, the system handles all driving tasks while you, now the passenger, are not needed to maneuver the vehicle. The system can operate the vehicle universally – under all conditions and on all roadways. A human driver is not needed to operate the vehicle.

THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON TODAY’S VEHICLES FOR CONSUMER PURCHASE.

🛣️ Roadmap for Connected vehicles

Ref:Infographic: Connected and autonomous vehicle technology roadmap: estimated cost of technology development and fitment per vehicle required to achieve each of the five levels of automation (Source: SMMT/Frost and Sullivan

Based on an estimate by Frost and sullivan we wont have level 5 Autonomous driving vehicles approved until 2035.