Mashable
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Just three years ago, autonomous cars seemed like a pipe desire relegated to a far-off decade in the future. But then, last week, Ford announced that in two thousand twenty one it’s planning to release an autonomous car without a steering wheel, brake or throttle pedals, designed for ride-sharing.
Just a few days later, Volvo and Uber made public their partnership to develop a driverless car.
Now, it seems autonomous cars aren’t just a fanciful future prospect but rather something tangible — and a real part of mobility in the near future.
The Ford and Volvo/Uber announcements, however, highlight the different approaches each company working on autonomous driving technology is taking. For example, some, like Audi, are introducing autonomous systems leisurely into their products to indoctrinate their buyers to the tech. Others, like Ford, are hopping straight to driverless cars.
Accordingly, we’ve compiled an alphabetical autonomy timeline encompassing the announcements and plans of the leaders in the space. What’s more, we’ve underlined the technology that each company aims to utilize to drive its driverless cars.
SAE automated driving levels
Before we get into the timeline, we need to understand the levels of autonomous driving technology, zero to Five, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Level zero is no assistance. Level one is defined by systems like collision mitigation braking that automatically brake if a collision is imminent.
Level two is the level at which all semi-autonomous systems on the road are at today. These include acceleration, braking and steering assistance.
Level three extends those to that the SAE describes as “some driving modes.” By that, it means the car can treat elevated levels of automated driving in given parameters — like on a freeway during the daylight. However, it’s expected that the human driver can take over driving duties, if asked.
Level four extends the autonomous capabilities and can treat all driving responsibilities, even if a human driver cannot intervene. Still, Level four is limited to “some driving modes.”
Level five takes total autonomy to “all driving modes.” That means the car is fully capable of driving itself anywhere in any condition, from a snowy, moonlit road to an unmapped desert. It should be noted that, at this point, Level five is theoretical. One Audi representative went so far as to describe it as “mythical.” It’s unlikely we’ll see Level five autonomous driving in our lifetimes.
2016 — Level Two: Audi’s Level two “Traffic Jam Assist” system is available on the two thousand seventeen Audi A4 and Q7. The system uses steering input to keep the car in its lane. What’s more, it permits the driver to take his or her mitts off the wheel in slow-moving traffic for fifteen seconds at a time. However, the driver can’t check out or turn attention away from the road, as he or she must intervene instantly if prompted by the car.
2018 — Level Three: Audi pledges to be the very first carmaker to introduce Level three autonomy to the road with its next generation A8 full-size sedan. The A8 will debut Audi’s Traffic Jam Pilot system. It will treat accelerating, braking and steering up to thirty five mph. However, there are many parameters and limitations to engaging Traffic Jam Pilot. It will need to have no fewer than two cars ahead of it and it will need to recognize, based upon information GPS and other outward-facing sensors, that it is on a freeway. Its cameras will also detect whether the road is clear enough for ideal operation. It won’t be activated on a snow-covered road, for example.
The car will also require specific driver conditions before Traffic Jam Pilot can be engaged, too. It will need to detect a driver in the driver’s seat. What’s more, the car will include a camera-based driver awareness system that will look to see if the driver is awake and not incapacitated in some way (suffering a pulmonary embolism, for example).
Technology carrier drives autonomously on German Autobahn A9
2020/2021 — Level three Plus: Two or three years after the very first application Level Trio, Audi will roll out what it’s harshly defining as “higher” Level Three. That means it will take the capability of Traffic Jam Pilot and extend it up to utter freeway speeds. It will require the same freeway verification from GPS and other sensors before it is engaged.
Audi will include in each car an event data recorder
Additionally, with Level Three, Audi will include in each car an event data recorder (think an airplane’s black box). It will record the driving data directly preceding a collision, should one occur. Don’t worry, Audi won’t be recording all your driving data. The event data recorder will be permanently deleting the data it collects, if a collision doesn’t take place.
Late 2020s — Level Four: Utter highway and urban autonomy. These functions will only be permitted in pre-mapped and geofenced areas. That means these cars will not be able to drive autonomously everywhere. You couldn’t ask the car to autonomously drive from Los Angeles to Fresh York, for example, unless the route were mapped and programmed.
Tech: GPS, LIDAR (Light Imaging, Detection And Ranging), short- and long-range radar, and no fewer than two digital cameras will be needed for Audi’s autonomous cars. In total, Audi’s autonomous cars will have around twenty four sensors with almost 360-degree redundancy. In addition, the cars will include redundant steering and braking systems.
2016 — Level Two: With the all-new seven Series, BMW introduced several fresh Level two technologies: Traffic jam Assistant and driverless automated parking. Traffic jam Assistant can go after the car ahead on the highway and can read lane markings and add corrective steering to keep the car in its lane. This system works from zero to forty three mph.
European versions of the fresh BMW seven Series feature a self-parking function that doesn’t require a driver inwards the car. With the car’s key fob, a driver can exit the vehicle and direct the car into a parking spot. However, that function is not available here in the U.S.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras.
2021 — Level Four: Marking its 100th bday earlier this year, BMW announced that it has also pegged two thousand twenty one as the year during which it will unveil a fully autonomous car. It’s called iNext and not only will it be autonomous, it will also be intelligent, lightweight and the “next generation of electro-mobility,” according to BMW chairman of the board Harald Krüger.
The flagship iNext autonomous car will be created in collaboration with Intel and MobilEye. Albeit BMW has not yet specified any other dates for unveiling autonomous driving systems for its cars, the trio (BMW, Intel and MobilEye) have said they will create platform-based “future-proof” test cars by two thousand seventeen in order to hit the stated two thousand twenty one objective. This platform will tackle, as BMW puts it, “‘eyes off’ (Level Three), ‘mind off’ level (Level Four)” ‘driver off’ (Level Five).”
Tech: BMW hasn’t indicated specifically which tech will drive drive its autonomous cars, except Intel Atom and Xeo processors.
2019 — Level Two: In two thousand nineteen (or within three years of 2016), Ford plans to introduce two Level two autonomous systems: Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Automated Parking. Confusingly, Ford’s Level two system will carry the same name as Audi’s Level Three. Traffic Jam Assist, like other Level two systems on the road today, will go after a car ahead in traffic and control braking and acceleration as well as steering to keep the car in its lane.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras and ultrasonic sensors.
2021 — Level Four: Ford announced in August that in 2021, it will have driverless ride-sharing cars without a steering wheel, or brake or accelerator pedals. Unlike Audi and Nissan, which are leisurely ramping up autonomy step by step from Level two to three to Four, Ford is hopping several steps and going right to Four. While there could be many reasons for this, presumably price is the leading factor.
At very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to sell in Ford showrooms
Since it’s five years out, Ford doesn’t yet know what platform these cars will rail on, what they’ll look like or what will power them (gasoline or electrified powertrains). Ford did divulge that these cars will not be originally available for purchase by customers. That could switch, however, as the cost of the onboard tech goes down. Likely, at very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to suggest up in Ford showrooms. And because Ford is keen to make autonomy available to the masses as quickly as possible, it doesn’t want to keep the tech relegated to enormously expensive luxury vehicles like Audi’s flagship A8.
It’s significant we understand why these Ford steering wheel-less cars are Level four and not Level Five. As we discussed earlier, Level five is defined by the SAE as a car’s capability to drive autonomous in ‘all driving modes.’ The Ford cars simply won’t be able to do that. They’ll only be permitted to operate in 3D-mapped, geofenced locations. Imagine, then, that these will operate in a few intensely mapped urban environments. So, unless you live in one of the very first markets for the Ford autonomous cars, it’s unlikely they’ll be a regular part of your life in the near future.
Tech: LIDAR, radar, digital cameras, 3D maps, 4G connectivity and, according to a Ford representative, possible vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication technology.
Honda
2016 — Level Two: Unlike the luxury brands on this list, Honda has shoved its Honda Sensing suite of autonomous driving technologies down into its most affordable models, including the $20,440 Civic Sedan. Honda Sensing includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that goes after the vehicle ahead, and Lane Keep Assist (LKAS), which uses a forward-facing camera that witnesses lane markings to keep the vehicle in its lane. Honda Sensing also includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation
Further bucking the trend of other systems on this list, Honda Sensing can be activated at any speed. Albeit it’s not locked to highways and freeways by GPS- or camera-based data, it’s recommended for use on freeways and not backroads or urban environments.
2020 — Level Trio: By 2020, Honda aims to have basic automated highway driving from “on ramp to off ramp.” Honda is being very conservative with its promised automated timelines beyond that, however. As such, it is hesitant to give specific dates for fear of missing them due to unforeseen technical or legislative hurdles. That said, Honda contends it is at the forefront of automated vehicle research.
Honda has divulged, however, that by two thousand twenty it also wants to integrate Wi-Fi-based vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology into its vehicles. Permitting cars and infrastructure to communicate with one another will add an extra level of automation.
2040: Ultimately, no matter where its automated tech is, be it Level three or Four, Honda aims to have no crashes in Honda or Acura vehicles by 2040.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, Wi-Fi-based V2V and V2X.
2020 — Level Trio: Kia announced at CES two thousand sixteen that it is launching an autonomous driving sub-brand called “DRIVE WISE.” Additionally, the Korean carmaker benchmarked two thousand twenty as the date by which it would introduce its very first semi-autonomous tech. Albeit Kia is in the fledgling stages of developing its semi- and full-autonomy tech, it’s already named some of the systems. They include Highway Autonomous Driving (HAD), Preceding Vehicle Following (PVF), Emergency Stop System (ESS) and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).
Kia Motors introduces fresh autonomous driving technologies
2030 — Level Four: Kia also announced that by two thousand thirty it would be ready to introduce utter autonomy. These include systems it’s calling Urban Autonomous Driving (UAD) and Autonomous Valet Parking.
Tech: HAD relies on radar and cameras. UAD utilizes GPS and exterior sensors to identify the car’s position on the road. It also will rely on live traffic updates. Like Audi, Kia’s Driver Status Monitoring (DSM) system in its autonomous cars will monitor the driver’s face and if it detects he or she isn’t paying attention, the car will budge to the side of the road and come to a stop.
Mercedes-Benz
2016 — Level Two: In 2013, Mercedes released its very first Level two automated driving system, called DISTRONC PLUS with Steering Assist, which we tested on the Mercedes-AMG C63 S last year. Since then, the German automaker has released its newest and more sturdy Level two system, DRIVE PILOT, which debuted on the two thousand seventeen E-Class.
DRIVE PILOT is fairly sturdy for a Level two autonomous system. Like Honda Sensing, it can control braking and acceleration at or above regular highway speeds. It also permits the driver to go hands-free for as long as sixty seconds at a time up to speeds of eighty one mph. Distinctively, DRIVE PILOT can autonomously switch lanes, if a driver indicates a lane switch with the turn signals. Of course, if it detects a car in the other lane, it won’t carry out the maneuver.
The two thousand seventeen E-Class is the only production car that has been granted an autonomous driving license in Nevada. That means, DRIVE PILOT is far more capable than Mercedes permits it to be in its current form. However, Mercedes engineers have retarded the capabilities of DRIVE PILOT for the E-Class to ensure drivers understand that they are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the car.
Additionally, the all-new E-Class is also the very first production car to include V2V technology. At very first, this means all fresh E-Classes will be able to communicate significant road and driving information to one another. In the future, as other cars receive the tech, this means E-Classes will be able to communicate with other cars as well — not just its brand mates.
In addition to cars, Mercedes is testing autonomous semi trucks here in the U.S. and in Europe. In fact, it has been sending “platooning” fleets of self-driving semis across Europe this year with the intention of integrating driverless tech into commercial trucking in the near future.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, and V2V.
Nissan
2016 — Level Two: Nissan announced earlier this year that by 2020, it will have not just one but ten fully autonomous models on sale. It also laid out its roadmap for how it will get there, adding a fresh level of autonomy every two years. This year, the Japanese automaker will introduce its very first Level two system called ProPILOT. This system will be very first introduced to the Japanese market in the fresh Serena minivan. Nissan will then introduce it to the European marked in two thousand seventeen in the Qashqai crossover. Nissan hasn’t yet said when the tech will be debuted for the U.S. market. At this level of ProPILOT, the car will have what Nissan is calling “single-lane control” in powerful, stop-and-go traffic on highways.
2018 — Level Trio: Two years later, in 2018, Nissan will introduce ProPILOT Two.0 with “multiple-lane control.” ProPILOT Two.0 will add autonomous lane switches to the ProPILOT capabilities.
2020 — Level Four: By 2020, Nissan plans to expose ProPILOT Three.0 with “intersection autonomy.” This will take Level four autonomy into the urban centers. Albeit Nissan hasn’t specifically divulged it, it’s likely that — as with Audi and Ford — these cars won’t be able to go anywhere. Instead, ProPILOT Trio.0 activation will be limited to strenuously mapped areas.
Tech: Similar to other carmakers, ProPILOT and its variants will rely on radar, digital cameras and hi-def mapping technology. A Nissan representative admitted detailed maps will be required for ProPILOT Trio.0, which indicates it, too, will be limited in its operational availability.
Tesla
2015 — Level Two: Late last year, Tesla unveiled the now infamous Level two Autopilot system, which is part of a suite of driver assistance systems. These include Autosteer, Auto Lane Switch, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Side Collision Warning and Autopark.
Autopilot has been implicated in several crashes around the globe since its debut. Most notably, a Tesla driver died in a crash in Florida in early May with Autopilot engaged. He was reportedly watching a Harry Potter DVD while his Model S was operating in Autopilot mode.
Until Mercedes released its DRIVE PILOT, Tesla’s Autopilot was the only semi-autonomous system on the market that permitted for autonomous lane switches. This is not its only distinction, however. Autopilot is, from the driver’s standpoint, the most sturdy system presently on the market. It’s that robustness that’s gotten Tesla in trouble, however. Specifically, Consumer Reports recently called on Tesla to disable and rename Autopilot until it was made safer.
Notably, Autopilot is in public beta-testing. In fact, Tesla is the only carmaker beta-testing autonomous tech on the public. All other carmakers relegate testing to its engineers and employees.
Tech: Radar and a digital camera
2018 — Level Four: Tesla won’t confirm the exact timing of Level four autonomous driving or the tech sensors that will drive higher levels of autonomy. However, Elon Musk said in late two thousand fifteen that Tesla was two years away from total autonomy.
Tech: It’s unclear what tech Tesla plans to add to its cars to enable higher levels of autonomy. That said, during the launch of Autopilot, Elon Musk exposed the company was gathering hi-def digital maps with its cars. Likely, this information will be utilized to implement Level four autonomy in future products.
Volvo
2016 — Level Two: For the two thousand seventeen model year of its vehicles, like the S90 sedan, Volvo introduced Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system. Like other Level two systems, it goes after traffic ahead and keeps the car within its lane.
However, that’s not the only news Volvo has made in the autonomous driving area for 2016. This summer, Volvo Cars and ride-sharing service Uber announced they were joining coerces to develop autonomous driving cars.
Volvo Cars and Uber join coerces to develop autonomous driving cars
2017 — Level Four: Intriguingly, Volvo is skipping Level three and going straight to Level Four. However, it won’t be a broad-scale rollout — at very first. The Swedish carmaker has said it will have one hundred autonomous cars testing on the roads Beijing in 2017, as a part of its Drive-Me program. Volvo plans to lease autonomous cars to customers in Sweden that year as well. These cars will be Level Four. Like so many other brands, the very first autonomous Volvo cars will only be able to drive themselves on highways known to the GPS system. This is more than an estimation, tho’. Volvo has already detailed what its self-driving car interface will look like.
What’s more, Volvo has even announced that it is working with Ericsson to stream your beloved shows in the dashboard of your autonomous car in the future. Think its Concept twenty six autonomous car interior, but in real life.
2020 — However Volvo will be achieving Level four before 2020, it has made two projections for that year. Very first it aims to suggest autonomous cars to the public — likely on a broader scale than in 2017. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it has long promised that no one will be killed or earnestly injured in a Volvo by 2020. Of course, autonomy is the ultimate safety system. So, it makes sense that large-scale implementation of Level four autonomy would intersect with that safety benchmark that year.
Tech: Volvo has openly listed the tech that will permit its future cars to drive autonomously. They include (but are not limited to) trifocal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, surround view cameras, surround radar, long-range radar and combined radar and camera units.
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Mashable
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Just three years ago, autonomous cars seemed like a pipe fantasy relegated to a far-off decade in the future. But then, last week, Ford announced that in two thousand twenty one it’s planning to release an autonomous car without a steering wheel, brake or throttle pedals, designed for ride-sharing.
Just a few days later, Volvo and Uber made public their partnership to develop a driverless car.
Now, it seems autonomous cars aren’t just a fanciful future prospect but rather something tangible — and a real part of mobility in the near future.
The Ford and Volvo/Uber announcements, however, highlight the different approaches each company working on autonomous driving technology is taking. For example, some, like Audi, are introducing autonomous systems leisurely into their products to indoctrinate their buyers to the tech. Others, like Ford, are leaping straight to driverless cars.
Accordingly, we’ve compiled an alphabetical autonomy timeline encompassing the announcements and plans of the leaders in the space. What’s more, we’ve underlined the technology that each company aims to utilize to drive its driverless cars.
SAE automated driving levels
Before we get into the timeline, we need to understand the levels of autonomous driving technology, zero to Five, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Level zero is no assistance. Level one is defined by systems like collision mitigation braking that automatically brake if a collision is imminent.
Level two is the level at which all semi-autonomous systems on the road are at today. These include acceleration, braking and steering assistance.
Level three extends those to that the SAE describes as “some driving modes.” By that, it means the car can treat elevated levels of automated driving in given parameters — like on a freeway during the daylight. However, it’s expected that the human driver can take over driving duties, if asked.
Level four extends the autonomous capabilities and can treat all driving responsibilities, even if a human driver cannot intervene. Still, Level four is limited to “some driving modes.”
Level five takes utter autonomy to “all driving modes.” That means the car is fully capable of driving itself anywhere in any condition, from a snowy, moonlit road to an unmapped desert. It should be noted that, at this point, Level five is theoretical. One Audi representative went so far as to describe it as “mythical.” It’s unlikely we’ll see Level five autonomous driving in our lifetimes.
2016 — Level Two: Audi’s Level two “Traffic Jam Assist” system is available on the two thousand seventeen Audi A4 and Q7. The system uses steering input to keep the car in its lane. What’s more, it permits the driver to take his or her forearms off the wheel in slow-moving traffic for fifteen seconds at a time. However, the driver can’t check out or turn attention away from the road, as he or she must intervene instantly if prompted by the car.
2018 — Level Three: Audi pledges to be the very first carmaker to introduce Level three autonomy to the road with its next generation A8 full-size sedan. The A8 will debut Audi’s Traffic Jam Pilot system. It will treat accelerating, braking and steering up to thirty five mph. However, there are many parameters and limitations to engaging Traffic Jam Pilot. It will need to have no fewer than two cars ahead of it and it will need to recognize, based upon information GPS and other outward-facing sensors, that it is on a freeway. Its cameras will also detect whether the road is clear enough for ideal operation. It won’t be activated on a snow-covered road, for example.
The car will also require specific driver conditions before Traffic Jam Pilot can be engaged, too. It will need to detect a driver in the driver’s seat. What’s more, the car will include a camera-based driver awareness system that will look to see if the driver is awake and not incapacitated in some way (suffering a pulmonary embolism, for example).
Technology carrier drives autonomously on German Autobahn A9
2020/2021 — Level three Plus: Two or three years after the very first application Level Three, Audi will roll out what it’s harshly defining as “higher” Level Trio. That means it will take the capability of Traffic Jam Pilot and extend it up to total freeway speeds. It will require the same freeway verification from GPS and other sensors before it is engaged.
Audi will include in each car an event data recorder
Additionally, with Level Three, Audi will include in each car an event data recorder (think an airplane’s black box). It will record the driving data directly preceding a collision, should one occur. Don’t worry, Audi won’t be recording all your driving data. The event data recorder will be permanently deleting the data it collects, if a collision doesn’t take place.
Late 2020s — Level Four: Total highway and urban autonomy. These functions will only be permitted in pre-mapped and geofenced areas. That means these cars will not be able to drive autonomously everywhere. You couldn’t ask the car to autonomously drive from Los Angeles to Fresh York, for example, unless the route were mapped and programmed.
Tech: GPS, LIDAR (Light Imaging, Detection And Ranging), short- and long-range radar, and no fewer than two digital cameras will be needed for Audi’s autonomous cars. In total, Audi’s autonomous cars will have around twenty four sensors with almost 360-degree redundancy. In addition, the cars will include redundant steering and braking systems.
2016 — Level Two: With the all-new seven Series, BMW introduced several fresh Level two technologies: Traffic jam Assistant and driverless automated parking. Traffic jam Assistant can go after the car ahead on the highway and can read lane markings and add corrective steering to keep the car in its lane. This system works from zero to forty three mph.
European versions of the fresh BMW seven Series feature a self-parking function that doesn’t require a driver inwards the car. With the car’s key fob, a driver can exit the vehicle and direct the car into a parking spot. However, that function is not available here in the U.S.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras.
2021 — Level Four: Marking its 100th bday earlier this year, BMW announced that it has also pegged two thousand twenty one as the year during which it will unveil a fully autonomous car. It’s called iNext and not only will it be autonomous, it will also be intelligent, lightweight and the “next generation of electro-mobility,” according to BMW chairman of the board Harald Krüger.
The flagship iNext autonomous car will be created in collaboration with Intel and MobilEye. Albeit BMW has not yet specified any other dates for unveiling autonomous driving systems for its cars, the trio (BMW, Intel and MobilEye) have said they will create platform-based “future-proof” test cars by two thousand seventeen in order to hit the stated two thousand twenty one aim. This platform will tackle, as BMW puts it, “‘eyes off’ (Level Trio), ‘mind off’ level (Level Four)” ‘driver off’ (Level Five).”
Tech: BMW hasn’t indicated specifically which tech will drive drive its autonomous cars, except Intel Atom and Xeo processors.
2019 — Level Two: In two thousand nineteen (or within three years of 2016), Ford plans to introduce two Level two autonomous systems: Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Automated Parking. Confusingly, Ford’s Level two system will carry the same name as Audi’s Level Three. Traffic Jam Assist, like other Level two systems on the road today, will go after a car ahead in traffic and control braking and acceleration as well as steering to keep the car in its lane.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras and ultrasonic sensors.
2021 — Level Four: Ford announced in August that in 2021, it will have driverless ride-sharing cars without a steering wheel, or brake or accelerator pedals. Unlike Audi and Nissan, which are leisurely ramping up autonomy step by step from Level two to three to Four, Ford is hopping several steps and going right to Four. While there could be many reasons for this, presumably price is the leading factor.
At very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to sell in Ford showrooms
Since it’s five years out, Ford doesn’t yet know what platform these cars will rail on, what they’ll look like or what will power them (gasoline or electrified powertrains). Ford did divulge that these cars will not be originally available for purchase by customers. That could switch, however, as the cost of the onboard tech goes down. Likely, at very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to suggest up in Ford showrooms. And because Ford is keen to make autonomy available to the masses as quickly as possible, it doesn’t want to keep the tech relegated to utterly expensive luxury vehicles like Audi’s flagship A8.
It’s significant we understand why these Ford steering wheel-less cars are Level four and not Level Five. As we discussed earlier, Level five is defined by the SAE as a car’s capability to drive autonomous in ‘all driving modes.’ The Ford cars simply won’t be able to do that. They’ll only be permitted to operate in 3D-mapped, geofenced locations. Imagine, then, that these will operate in a few powerfully mapped urban environments. So, unless you live in one of the very first markets for the Ford autonomous cars, it’s unlikely they’ll be a regular part of your life in the near future.
Tech: LIDAR, radar, digital cameras, 3D maps, 4G connectivity and, according to a Ford representative, possible vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication technology.
Honda
2016 — Level Two: Unlike the luxury brands on this list, Honda has shoved its Honda Sensing suite of autonomous driving technologies down into its most affordable models, including the $20,440 Civic Sedan. Honda Sensing includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that goes after the vehicle ahead, and Lane Keep Assist (LKAS), which uses a forward-facing camera that observes lane markings to keep the vehicle in its lane. Honda Sensing also includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation
Further bucking the trend of other systems on this list, Honda Sensing can be activated at any speed. Albeit it’s not locked to highways and freeways by GPS- or camera-based data, it’s recommended for use on freeways and not backroads or urban environments.
2020 — Level Trio: By 2020, Honda aims to have basic automated highway driving from “on ramp to off ramp.” Honda is being very conservative with its promised automated timelines beyond that, however. As such, it is hesitant to give specific dates for fear of missing them due to unforeseen technical or legislative hurdles. That said, Honda contends it is at the forefront of automated vehicle research.
Honda has divulged, tho’, that by two thousand twenty it also wants to integrate Wi-Fi-based vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology into its vehicles. Permitting cars and infrastructure to communicate with one another will add an extra level of automation.
2040: Ultimately, no matter where its automated tech is, be it Level three or Four, Honda aims to have no crashes in Honda or Acura vehicles by 2040.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, Wi-Fi-based V2V and V2X.
2020 — Level Trio: Kia announced at CES two thousand sixteen that it is launching an autonomous driving sub-brand called “DRIVE WISE.” Additionally, the Korean carmaker benchmarked two thousand twenty as the date by which it would introduce its very first semi-autonomous tech. Albeit Kia is in the fledgling stages of developing its semi- and full-autonomy tech, it’s already named some of the systems. They include Highway Autonomous Driving (HAD), Preceding Vehicle Following (PVF), Emergency Stop System (ESS) and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).
Kia Motors introduces fresh autonomous driving technologies
2030 — Level Four: Kia also announced that by two thousand thirty it would be ready to introduce total autonomy. These include systems it’s calling Urban Autonomous Driving (UAD) and Autonomous Valet Parking.
Tech: HAD relies on radar and cameras. UAD utilizes GPS and exterior sensors to identify the car’s position on the road. It also will rely on live traffic updates. Like Audi, Kia’s Driver Status Monitoring (DSM) system in its autonomous cars will monitor the driver’s face and if it detects he or she isn’t paying attention, the car will stir to the side of the road and come to a stop.
Mercedes-Benz
2016 — Level Two: In 2013, Mercedes released its very first Level two automated driving system, called DISTRONC PLUS with Steering Assist, which we tested on the Mercedes-AMG C63 S last year. Since then, the German automaker has released its newest and more sturdy Level two system, DRIVE PILOT, which debuted on the two thousand seventeen E-Class.
DRIVE PILOT is fairly sturdy for a Level two autonomous system. Like Honda Sensing, it can control braking and acceleration at or above regular highway speeds. It also permits the driver to go hands-free for as long as sixty seconds at a time up to speeds of eighty one mph. Distinctively, DRIVE PILOT can autonomously switch lanes, if a driver indicates a lane switch with the turn signals. Of course, if it detects a car in the other lane, it won’t carry out the maneuver.
The two thousand seventeen E-Class is the only production car that has been granted an autonomous driving license in Nevada. That means, DRIVE PILOT is far more capable than Mercedes permits it to be in its current form. However, Mercedes engineers have retarded the capabilities of DRIVE PILOT for the E-Class to ensure drivers understand that they are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the car.
Additionally, the all-new E-Class is also the very first production car to include V2V technology. At very first, this means all fresh E-Classes will be able to communicate significant road and driving information to one another. In the future, as other cars receive the tech, this means E-Classes will be able to communicate with other cars as well — not just its brand mates.
In addition to cars, Mercedes is testing autonomous semi trucks here in the U.S. and in Europe. In fact, it has been sending “platooning” fleets of self-driving semis across Europe this year with the intention of integrating driverless tech into commercial trucking in the near future.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, and V2V.
Nissan
2016 — Level Two: Nissan announced earlier this year that by 2020, it will have not just one but ten fully autonomous models on sale. It also laid out its roadmap for how it will get there, adding a fresh level of autonomy every two years. This year, the Japanese automaker will introduce its very first Level two system called ProPILOT. This system will be very first introduced to the Japanese market in the fresh Serena minivan. Nissan will then introduce it to the European marked in two thousand seventeen in the Qashqai crossover. Nissan hasn’t yet said when the tech will be debuted for the U.S. market. At this level of ProPILOT, the car will have what Nissan is calling “single-lane control” in powerful, stop-and-go traffic on highways.
2018 — Level Trio: Two years later, in 2018, Nissan will introduce ProPILOT Two.0 with “multiple-lane control.” ProPILOT Two.0 will add autonomous lane switches to the ProPILOT capabilities.
2020 — Level Four: By 2020, Nissan plans to expose ProPILOT Trio.0 with “intersection autonomy.” This will take Level four autonomy into the urban centers. Albeit Nissan hasn’t specifically divulged it, it’s likely that — as with Audi and Ford — these cars won’t be able to go anywhere. Instead, ProPILOT Trio.0 activation will be limited to powerfully mapped areas.
Tech: Similar to other carmakers, ProPILOT and its variants will rely on radar, digital cameras and hi-def mapping technology. A Nissan representative admitted detailed maps will be required for ProPILOT Three.0, which indicates it, too, will be limited in its operational availability.
Tesla
2015 — Level Two: Late last year, Tesla unveiled the now infamous Level two Autopilot system, which is part of a suite of driver assistance systems. These include Autosteer, Auto Lane Switch, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Side Collision Warning and Autopark.
Autopilot has been implicated in several crashes around the globe since its debut. Most notably, a Tesla driver died in a crash in Florida in early May with Autopilot engaged. He was reportedly watching a Harry Potter DVD while his Model S was operating in Autopilot mode.
Until Mercedes released its DRIVE PILOT, Tesla’s Autopilot was the only semi-autonomous system on the market that permitted for autonomous lane switches. This is not its only distinction, however. Autopilot is, from the driver’s standpoint, the most sturdy system presently on the market. It’s that robustness that’s gotten Tesla in trouble, however. Specifically, Consumer Reports recently called on Tesla to disable and rename Autopilot until it was made safer.
Notably, Autopilot is in public beta-testing. In fact, Tesla is the only carmaker beta-testing autonomous tech on the public. All other carmakers relegate testing to its engineers and employees.
Tech: Radar and a digital camera
2018 — Level Four: Tesla won’t confirm the exact timing of Level four autonomous driving or the tech sensors that will drive higher levels of autonomy. However, Elon Musk said in late two thousand fifteen that Tesla was two years away from utter autonomy.
Tech: It’s unclear what tech Tesla plans to add to its cars to enable higher levels of autonomy. That said, during the launch of Autopilot, Elon Musk exposed the company was gathering hi-def digital maps with its cars. Likely, this information will be utilized to implement Level four autonomy in future products.
Volvo
2016 — Level Two: For the two thousand seventeen model year of its vehicles, like the S90 sedan, Volvo introduced Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system. Like other Level two systems, it goes after traffic ahead and keeps the car within its lane.
However, that’s not the only news Volvo has made in the autonomous driving field for 2016. This summer, Volvo Cars and ride-sharing service Uber announced they were joining coerces to develop autonomous driving cars.
Volvo Cars and Uber join compels to develop autonomous driving cars
2017 — Level Four: Intriguingly, Volvo is skipping Level three and going straight to Level Four. However, it won’t be a broad-scale rollout — at very first. The Swedish carmaker has said it will have one hundred autonomous cars testing on the roads Beijing in 2017, as a part of its Drive-Me program. Volvo plans to lease autonomous cars to customers in Sweden that year as well. These cars will be Level Four. Like so many other brands, the very first autonomous Volvo cars will only be able to drive themselves on highways known to the GPS system. This is more than an estimation, however. Volvo has already detailed what its self-driving car interface will look like.
What’s more, Volvo has even announced that it is working with Ericsson to stream your beloved shows in the dashboard of your autonomous car in the future. Think its Concept twenty six autonomous car interior, but in real life.
2020 — However Volvo will be achieving Level four before 2020, it has made two projections for that year. Very first it aims to suggest autonomous cars to the public — likely on a broader scale than in 2017. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it has long promised that no one will be killed or earnestly injured in a Volvo by 2020. Of course, autonomy is the ultimate safety system. So, it makes sense that large-scale implementation of Level four autonomy would intersect with that safety benchmark that year.
Tech: Volvo has openly listed the tech that will permit its future cars to drive autonomously. They include (but are not limited to) trifocal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, surround view cameras, surround radar, long-range radar and combined radar and camera units.
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Mashable
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Just three years ago, autonomous cars seemed like a pipe fantasy relegated to a far-off decade in the future. But then, last week, Ford announced that in two thousand twenty one it’s planning to release an autonomous car without a steering wheel, brake or throttle pedals, designed for ride-sharing.
Just a few days later, Volvo and Uber made public their partnership to develop a driverless car.
Now, it seems autonomous cars aren’t just a fanciful future prospect but rather something tangible — and a real part of mobility in the near future.
The Ford and Volvo/Uber announcements, however, highlight the different approaches each company working on autonomous driving technology is taking. For example, some, like Audi, are introducing autonomous systems leisurely into their products to indoctrinate their buyers to the tech. Others, like Ford, are leaping straight to driverless cars.
Accordingly, we’ve compiled an alphabetical autonomy timeline encompassing the announcements and plans of the leaders in the space. What’s more, we’ve underlined the technology that each company aims to utilize to drive its driverless cars.
SAE automated driving levels
Before we get into the timeline, we need to understand the levels of autonomous driving technology, zero to Five, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Level zero is no assistance. Level one is defined by systems like collision mitigation braking that automatically brake if a collision is imminent.
Level two is the level at which all semi-autonomous systems on the road are at today. These include acceleration, braking and steering assistance.
Level three extends those to that the SAE describes as “some driving modes.” By that, it means the car can treat elevated levels of automated driving in given parameters — like on a freeway during the daylight. However, it’s expected that the human driver can take over driving duties, if asked.
Level four extends the autonomous capabilities and can treat all driving responsibilities, even if a human driver cannot intervene. Still, Level four is limited to “some driving modes.”
Level five takes utter autonomy to “all driving modes.” That means the car is fully capable of driving itself anywhere in any condition, from a snowy, moonlit road to an unmapped desert. It should be noted that, at this point, Level five is theoretical. One Audi representative went so far as to describe it as “mythical.” It’s unlikely we’ll see Level five autonomous driving in our lifetimes.
2016 — Level Two: Audi’s Level two “Traffic Jam Assist” system is available on the two thousand seventeen Audi A4 and Q7. The system uses steering input to keep the car in its lane. What’s more, it permits the driver to take his or her palms off the wheel in slow-moving traffic for fifteen seconds at a time. However, the driver can’t check out or turn attention away from the road, as he or she must intervene instantly if prompted by the car.
2018 — Level Three: Audi pledges to be the very first carmaker to introduce Level three autonomy to the road with its next generation A8 full-size sedan. The A8 will debut Audi’s Traffic Jam Pilot system. It will treat accelerating, braking and steering up to thirty five mph. However, there are many parameters and limitations to engaging Traffic Jam Pilot. It will need to have no fewer than two cars ahead of it and it will need to recognize, based upon information GPS and other outward-facing sensors, that it is on a freeway. Its cameras will also detect whether the road is clear enough for ideal operation. It won’t be activated on a snow-covered road, for example.
The car will also require specific driver conditions before Traffic Jam Pilot can be engaged, too. It will need to detect a driver in the driver’s seat. What’s more, the car will include a camera-based driver awareness system that will look to see if the driver is awake and not incapacitated in some way (suffering a pulmonary embolism, for example).
Technology carrier drives autonomously on German Autobahn A9
2020/2021 — Level three Plus: Two or three years after the very first application Level Trio, Audi will roll out what it’s toughly defining as “higher” Level Trio. That means it will take the capability of Traffic Jam Pilot and extend it up to total freeway speeds. It will require the same freeway verification from GPS and other sensors before it is engaged.
Audi will include in each car an event data recorder
Additionally, with Level Trio, Audi will include in each car an event data recorder (think an airplane’s black box). It will record the driving data directly preceding a collision, should one occur. Don’t worry, Audi won’t be recording all your driving data. The event data recorder will be permanently deleting the data it collects, if a collision doesn’t take place.
Late 2020s — Level Four: Total highway and urban autonomy. These functions will only be permitted in pre-mapped and geofenced areas. That means these cars will not be able to drive autonomously everywhere. You couldn’t ask the car to autonomously drive from Los Angeles to Fresh York, for example, unless the route were mapped and programmed.
Tech: GPS, LIDAR (Light Imaging, Detection And Ranging), short- and long-range radar, and no fewer than two digital cameras will be needed for Audi’s autonomous cars. In total, Audi’s autonomous cars will have around twenty four sensors with almost 360-degree redundancy. In addition, the cars will include redundant steering and braking systems.
2016 — Level Two: With the all-new seven Series, BMW introduced several fresh Level two technologies: Traffic jam Assistant and driverless automated parking. Traffic jam Assistant can go after the car ahead on the highway and can read lane markings and add corrective steering to keep the car in its lane. This system works from zero to forty three mph.
European versions of the fresh BMW seven Series feature a self-parking function that doesn’t require a driver inwards the car. With the car’s key fob, a driver can exit the vehicle and direct the car into a parking spot. However, that function is not available here in the U.S.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras.
2021 — Level Four: Marking its 100th bday earlier this year, BMW announced that it has also pegged two thousand twenty one as the year during which it will unveil a fully autonomous car. It’s called iNext and not only will it be autonomous, it will also be intelligent, lightweight and the “next generation of electro-mobility,” according to BMW chairman of the board Harald Krüger.
The flagship iNext autonomous car will be created in collaboration with Intel and MobilEye. Albeit BMW has not yet specified any other dates for unveiling autonomous driving systems for its cars, the trio (BMW, Intel and MobilEye) have said they will create platform-based “future-proof” test cars by two thousand seventeen in order to hit the stated two thousand twenty one aim. This platform will tackle, as BMW puts it, “‘eyes off’ (Level Three), ‘mind off’ level (Level Four)” ‘driver off’ (Level Five).”
Tech: BMW hasn’t indicated specifically which tech will drive drive its autonomous cars, except Intel Atom and Xeo processors.
2019 — Level Two: In two thousand nineteen (or within three years of 2016), Ford plans to introduce two Level two autonomous systems: Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Automated Parking. Confusingly, Ford’s Level two system will carry the same name as Audi’s Level Three. Traffic Jam Assist, like other Level two systems on the road today, will go after a car ahead in traffic and control braking and acceleration as well as steering to keep the car in its lane.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras and ultrasonic sensors.
2021 — Level Four: Ford announced in August that in 2021, it will have driverless ride-sharing cars without a steering wheel, or brake or accelerator pedals. Unlike Audi and Nissan, which are leisurely ramping up autonomy step by step from Level two to three to Four, Ford is leaping several steps and going right to Four. While there could be many reasons for this, presumably price is the leading factor.
At very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to sell in Ford showrooms
Since it’s five years out, Ford doesn’t yet know what platform these cars will rail on, what they’ll look like or what will power them (gasoline or electrified powertrains). Ford did divulge that these cars will not be originally available for purchase by customers. That could switch, however, as the cost of the onboard tech goes down. Likely, at very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to suggest up in Ford showrooms. And because Ford is keen to make autonomy available to the masses as quickly as possible, it doesn’t want to keep the tech relegated to utterly expensive luxury vehicles like Audi’s flagship A8.
It’s significant we understand why these Ford steering wheel-less cars are Level four and not Level Five. As we discussed earlier, Level five is defined by the SAE as a car’s capability to drive autonomous in ‘all driving modes.’ The Ford cars simply won’t be able to do that. They’ll only be permitted to operate in 3D-mapped, geofenced locations. Imagine, then, that these will operate in a few intensely mapped urban environments. So, unless you live in one of the very first markets for the Ford autonomous cars, it’s unlikely they’ll be a regular part of your life in the near future.
Tech: LIDAR, radar, digital cameras, 3D maps, 4G connectivity and, according to a Ford representative, possible vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication technology.
Honda
2016 — Level Two: Unlike the luxury brands on this list, Honda has shoved its Honda Sensing suite of autonomous driving technologies down into its most affordable models, including the $20,440 Civic Sedan. Honda Sensing includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that goes after the vehicle ahead, and Lane Keep Assist (LKAS), which uses a forward-facing camera that sees lane markings to keep the vehicle in its lane. Honda Sensing also includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation
Further bucking the trend of other systems on this list, Honda Sensing can be activated at any speed. Albeit it’s not locked to highways and freeways by GPS- or camera-based data, it’s recommended for use on freeways and not backroads or urban environments.
2020 — Level Trio: By 2020, Honda aims to have basic automated highway driving from “on ramp to off ramp.” Honda is being very conservative with its promised automated timelines beyond that, however. As such, it is hesitant to give specific dates for fear of missing them due to unforeseen technical or legislative hurdles. That said, Honda contends it is at the forefront of automated vehicle research.
Honda has divulged, however, that by two thousand twenty it also wants to integrate Wi-Fi-based vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology into its vehicles. Permitting cars and infrastructure to communicate with one another will add an extra level of automation.
2040: Ultimately, no matter where its automated tech is, be it Level three or Four, Honda aims to have no crashes in Honda or Acura vehicles by 2040.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, Wi-Fi-based V2V and V2X.
2020 — Level Trio: Kia announced at CES two thousand sixteen that it is launching an autonomous driving sub-brand called “DRIVE WISE.” Additionally, the Korean carmaker benchmarked two thousand twenty as the date by which it would introduce its very first semi-autonomous tech. Albeit Kia is in the fledgling stages of developing its semi- and full-autonomy tech, it’s already named some of the systems. They include Highway Autonomous Driving (HAD), Preceding Vehicle Following (PVF), Emergency Stop System (ESS) and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).
Kia Motors introduces fresh autonomous driving technologies
2030 — Level Four: Kia also announced that by two thousand thirty it would be ready to introduce utter autonomy. These include systems it’s calling Urban Autonomous Driving (UAD) and Autonomous Valet Parking.
Tech: HAD relies on radar and cameras. UAD utilizes GPS and exterior sensors to identify the car’s position on the road. It also will rely on live traffic updates. Like Audi, Kia’s Driver Status Monitoring (DSM) system in its autonomous cars will monitor the driver’s face and if it detects he or she isn’t paying attention, the car will stir to the side of the road and come to a stop.
Mercedes-Benz
2016 — Level Two: In 2013, Mercedes released its very first Level two automated driving system, called DISTRONC PLUS with Steering Assist, which we tested on the Mercedes-AMG C63 S last year. Since then, the German automaker has released its newest and more sturdy Level two system, DRIVE PILOT, which debuted on the two thousand seventeen E-Class.
DRIVE PILOT is fairly sturdy for a Level two autonomous system. Like Honda Sensing, it can control braking and acceleration at or above regular highway speeds. It also permits the driver to go hands-free for as long as sixty seconds at a time up to speeds of eighty one mph. Distinctively, DRIVE PILOT can autonomously switch lanes, if a driver indicates a lane switch with the turn signals. Of course, if it detects a car in the other lane, it won’t carry out the maneuver.
The two thousand seventeen E-Class is the only production car that has been granted an autonomous driving license in Nevada. That means, DRIVE PILOT is far more capable than Mercedes permits it to be in its current form. However, Mercedes engineers have retarded the capabilities of DRIVE PILOT for the E-Class to ensure drivers understand that they are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the car.
Additionally, the all-new E-Class is also the very first production car to include V2V technology. At very first, this means all fresh E-Classes will be able to communicate significant road and driving information to one another. In the future, as other cars receive the tech, this means E-Classes will be able to communicate with other cars as well — not just its brand mates.
In addition to cars, Mercedes is testing autonomous semi trucks here in the U.S. and in Europe. In fact, it has been sending “platooning” fleets of self-driving semis across Europe this year with the intention of integrating driverless tech into commercial trucking in the near future.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, and V2V.
Nissan
2016 — Level Two: Nissan announced earlier this year that by 2020, it will have not just one but ten fully autonomous models on sale. It also laid out its roadmap for how it will get there, adding a fresh level of autonomy every two years. This year, the Japanese automaker will introduce its very first Level two system called ProPILOT. This system will be very first introduced to the Japanese market in the fresh Serena minivan. Nissan will then introduce it to the European marked in two thousand seventeen in the Qashqai crossover. Nissan hasn’t yet said when the tech will be debuted for the U.S. market. At this level of ProPILOT, the car will have what Nissan is calling “single-lane control” in strenuous, stop-and-go traffic on highways.
2018 — Level Trio: Two years later, in 2018, Nissan will introduce ProPILOT Two.0 with “multiple-lane control.” ProPILOT Two.0 will add autonomous lane switches to the ProPILOT capabilities.
2020 — Level Four: By 2020, Nissan plans to expose ProPILOT Three.0 with “intersection autonomy.” This will take Level four autonomy into the urban centers. Albeit Nissan hasn’t specifically divulged it, it’s likely that — as with Audi and Ford — these cars won’t be able to go anywhere. Instead, ProPILOT Three.0 activation will be limited to strongly mapped areas.
Tech: Similar to other carmakers, ProPILOT and its variants will rely on radar, digital cameras and hi-def mapping technology. A Nissan representative admitted detailed maps will be required for ProPILOT Trio.0, which indicates it, too, will be limited in its operational availability.
Tesla
2015 — Level Two: Late last year, Tesla unveiled the now infamous Level two Autopilot system, which is part of a suite of driver assistance systems. These include Autosteer, Auto Lane Switch, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Side Collision Warning and Autopark.
Autopilot has been implicated in several crashes around the globe since its debut. Most notably, a Tesla driver died in a crash in Florida in early May with Autopilot engaged. He was reportedly watching a Harry Potter DVD while his Model S was operating in Autopilot mode.
Until Mercedes released its DRIVE PILOT, Tesla’s Autopilot was the only semi-autonomous system on the market that permitted for autonomous lane switches. This is not its only distinction, however. Autopilot is, from the driver’s standpoint, the most sturdy system presently on the market. It’s that robustness that’s gotten Tesla in trouble, however. Specifically, Consumer Reports recently called on Tesla to disable and rename Autopilot until it was made safer.
Notably, Autopilot is in public beta-testing. In fact, Tesla is the only carmaker beta-testing autonomous tech on the public. All other carmakers relegate testing to its engineers and employees.
Tech: Radar and a digital camera
2018 — Level Four: Tesla won’t confirm the exact timing of Level four autonomous driving or the tech sensors that will drive higher levels of autonomy. However, Elon Musk said in late two thousand fifteen that Tesla was two years away from total autonomy.
Tech: It’s unclear what tech Tesla plans to add to its cars to enable higher levels of autonomy. That said, during the launch of Autopilot, Elon Musk exposed the company was gathering hi-def digital maps with its cars. Likely, this information will be utilized to implement Level four autonomy in future products.
Volvo
2016 — Level Two: For the two thousand seventeen model year of its vehicles, like the S90 sedan, Volvo introduced Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system. Like other Level two systems, it goes after traffic ahead and keeps the car within its lane.
However, that’s not the only news Volvo has made in the autonomous driving field for 2016. This summer, Volvo Cars and ride-sharing service Uber announced they were joining coerces to develop autonomous driving cars.
Volvo Cars and Uber join coerces to develop autonomous driving cars
2017 — Level Four: Intriguingly, Volvo is skipping Level three and going straight to Level Four. However, it won’t be a broad-scale rollout — at very first. The Swedish carmaker has said it will have one hundred autonomous cars testing on the roads Beijing in 2017, as a part of its Drive-Me program. Volvo plans to lease autonomous cars to customers in Sweden that year as well. These cars will be Level Four. Like so many other brands, the very first autonomous Volvo cars will only be able to drive themselves on highways known to the GPS system. This is more than an estimation, tho’. Volvo has already detailed what its self-driving car interface will look like.
What’s more, Volvo has even announced that it is working with Ericsson to stream your dearest shows in the dashboard of your autonomous car in the future. Think its Concept twenty six autonomous car interior, but in real life.
2020 — Tho’ Volvo will be achieving Level four before 2020, it has made two projections for that year. Very first it aims to suggest autonomous cars to the public — likely on a broader scale than in 2017. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it has long promised that no one will be killed or gravely injured in a Volvo by 2020. Of course, autonomy is the ultimate safety system. So, it makes sense that large-scale implementation of Level four autonomy would intersect with that safety benchmark that year.
Tech: Volvo has openly listed the tech that will permit its future cars to drive autonomously. They include (but are not limited to) trifocal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, surround view cameras, surround radar, long-range radar and combined radar and camera units.
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Mashable
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Just three years ago, autonomous cars seemed like a pipe wish relegated to a far-off decade in the future. But then, last week, Ford announced that in two thousand twenty one it’s planning to release an autonomous car without a steering wheel, brake or throttle pedals, designed for ride-sharing.
Just a few days later, Volvo and Uber made public their partnership to develop a driverless car.
Now, it seems autonomous cars aren’t just a fanciful future prospect but rather something tangible — and a real part of mobility in the near future.
The Ford and Volvo/Uber announcements, however, highlight the different approaches each company working on autonomous driving technology is taking. For example, some, like Audi, are introducing autonomous systems leisurely into their products to indoctrinate their buyers to the tech. Others, like Ford, are leaping straight to driverless cars.
Accordingly, we’ve compiled an alphabetical autonomy timeline encompassing the announcements and plans of the leaders in the space. What’s more, we’ve underlined the technology that each company aims to utilize to drive its driverless cars.
SAE automated driving levels
Before we get into the timeline, we need to understand the levels of autonomous driving technology, zero to Five, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Level zero is no assistance. Level one is defined by systems like collision mitigation braking that automatically brake if a collision is imminent.
Level two is the level at which all semi-autonomous systems on the road are at today. These include acceleration, braking and steering assistance.
Level three extends those to that the SAE describes as “some driving modes.” By that, it means the car can treat elevated levels of automated driving in given parameters — like on a freeway during the daylight. However, it’s expected that the human driver can take over driving duties, if asked.
Level four extends the autonomous capabilities and can treat all driving responsibilities, even if a human driver cannot intervene. Still, Level four is limited to “some driving modes.”
Level five takes total autonomy to “all driving modes.” That means the car is fully capable of driving itself anywhere in any condition, from a snowy, moonlit road to an unmapped desert. It should be noted that, at this point, Level five is theoretical. One Audi representative went so far as to describe it as “mythical.” It’s unlikely we’ll see Level five autonomous driving in our lifetimes.
2016 — Level Two: Audi’s Level two “Traffic Jam Assist” system is available on the two thousand seventeen Audi A4 and Q7. The system uses steering input to keep the car in its lane. What’s more, it permits the driver to take his or her arms off the wheel in slow-moving traffic for fifteen seconds at a time. However, the driver can’t check out or turn attention away from the road, as he or she must intervene instantly if prompted by the car.
2018 — Level Trio: Audi pledges to be the very first carmaker to introduce Level three autonomy to the road with its next generation A8 full-size sedan. The A8 will debut Audi’s Traffic Jam Pilot system. It will treat accelerating, braking and steering up to thirty five mph. However, there are many parameters and limitations to engaging Traffic Jam Pilot. It will need to have no fewer than two cars ahead of it and it will need to recognize, based upon information GPS and other outward-facing sensors, that it is on a freeway. Its cameras will also detect whether the road is clear enough for ideal operation. It won’t be activated on a snow-covered road, for example.
The car will also require specific driver conditions before Traffic Jam Pilot can be engaged, too. It will need to detect a driver in the driver’s seat. What’s more, the car will include a camera-based driver awareness system that will look to see if the driver is awake and not incapacitated in some way (suffering a pulmonary embolism, for example).
Technology carrier drives autonomously on German Autobahn A9
2020/2021 — Level three Plus: Two or three years after the very first application Level Trio, Audi will roll out what it’s harshly defining as “higher” Level Trio. That means it will take the capability of Traffic Jam Pilot and extend it up to utter freeway speeds. It will require the same freeway verification from GPS and other sensors before it is engaged.
Audi will include in each car an event data recorder
Additionally, with Level Three, Audi will include in each car an event data recorder (think an airplane’s black box). It will record the driving data directly preceding a collision, should one occur. Don’t worry, Audi won’t be recording all your driving data. The event data recorder will be permanently deleting the data it collects, if a collision doesn’t take place.
Late 2020s — Level Four: Utter highway and urban autonomy. These functions will only be permitted in pre-mapped and geofenced areas. That means these cars will not be able to drive autonomously everywhere. You couldn’t ask the car to autonomously drive from Los Angeles to Fresh York, for example, unless the route were mapped and programmed.
Tech: GPS, LIDAR (Light Imaging, Detection And Ranging), short- and long-range radar, and no fewer than two digital cameras will be needed for Audi’s autonomous cars. In total, Audi’s autonomous cars will have around twenty four sensors with almost 360-degree redundancy. In addition, the cars will include redundant steering and braking systems.
2016 — Level Two: With the all-new seven Series, BMW introduced several fresh Level two technologies: Traffic jam Assistant and driverless automated parking. Traffic jam Assistant can go after the car ahead on the highway and can read lane markings and add corrective steering to keep the car in its lane. This system works from zero to forty three mph.
European versions of the fresh BMW seven Series feature a self-parking function that doesn’t require a driver inwards the car. With the car’s key fob, a driver can exit the vehicle and direct the car into a parking spot. However, that function is not available here in the U.S.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras.
2021 — Level Four: Marking its 100th bday earlier this year, BMW announced that it has also pegged two thousand twenty one as the year during which it will unveil a fully autonomous car. It’s called iNext and not only will it be autonomous, it will also be intelligent, lightweight and the “next generation of electro-mobility,” according to BMW chairman of the board Harald Krüger.
The flagship iNext autonomous car will be created in collaboration with Intel and MobilEye. Albeit BMW has not yet specified any other dates for unveiling autonomous driving systems for its cars, the trio (BMW, Intel and MobilEye) have said they will create platform-based “future-proof” test cars by two thousand seventeen in order to hit the stated two thousand twenty one purpose. This platform will tackle, as BMW puts it, “‘eyes off’ (Level Three), ‘mind off’ level (Level Four)” ‘driver off’ (Level Five).”
Tech: BMW hasn’t indicated specifically which tech will drive drive its autonomous cars, except Intel Atom and Xeo processors.
2019 — Level Two: In two thousand nineteen (or within three years of 2016), Ford plans to introduce two Level two autonomous systems: Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Automated Parking. Confusingly, Ford’s Level two system will carry the same name as Audi’s Level Trio. Traffic Jam Assist, like other Level two systems on the road today, will go after a car ahead in traffic and control braking and acceleration as well as steering to keep the car in its lane.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras and ultrasonic sensors.
2021 — Level Four: Ford announced in August that in 2021, it will have driverless ride-sharing cars without a steering wheel, or brake or accelerator pedals. Unlike Audi and Nissan, which are leisurely ramping up autonomy step by step from Level two to three to Four, Ford is hopping several steps and going right to Four. While there could be many reasons for this, presumably price is the leading factor.
At very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to sell in Ford showrooms
Since it’s five years out, Ford doesn’t yet know what platform these cars will rail on, what they’ll look like or what will power them (gasoline or electrified powertrains). Ford did divulge that these cars will not be primarily available for purchase by customers. That could switch, however, as the cost of the onboard tech goes down. Likely, at very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to suggest up in Ford showrooms. And because Ford is keen to make autonomy available to the masses as quickly as possible, it doesn’t want to keep the tech relegated to utterly expensive luxury vehicles like Audi’s flagship A8.
It’s significant we understand why these Ford steering wheel-less cars are Level four and not Level Five. As we discussed earlier, Level five is defined by the SAE as a car’s capability to drive autonomous in ‘all driving modes.’ The Ford cars simply won’t be able to do that. They’ll only be permitted to operate in 3D-mapped, geofenced locations. Imagine, then, that these will operate in a few powerfully mapped urban environments. So, unless you live in one of the very first markets for the Ford autonomous cars, it’s unlikely they’ll be a regular part of your life in the near future.
Tech: LIDAR, radar, digital cameras, 3D maps, 4G connectivity and, according to a Ford representative, possible vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication technology.
Honda
2016 — Level Two: Unlike the luxury brands on this list, Honda has shoved its Honda Sensing suite of autonomous driving technologies down into its most affordable models, including the $20,440 Civic Sedan. Honda Sensing includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that goes after the vehicle ahead, and Lane Keep Assist (LKAS), which uses a forward-facing camera that observes lane markings to keep the vehicle in its lane. Honda Sensing also includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation
Further bucking the trend of other systems on this list, Honda Sensing can be activated at any speed. Albeit it’s not locked to highways and freeways by GPS- or camera-based data, it’s recommended for use on freeways and not backroads or urban environments.
2020 — Level Trio: By 2020, Honda aims to have basic automated highway driving from “on ramp to off ramp.” Honda is being very conservative with its promised automated timelines beyond that, however. As such, it is hesitant to give specific dates for fear of missing them due to unforeseen technical or legislative hurdles. That said, Honda contends it is at the forefront of automated vehicle research.
Honda has divulged, tho’, that by two thousand twenty it also wants to integrate Wi-Fi-based vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology into its vehicles. Permitting cars and infrastructure to communicate with one another will add an extra level of automation.
2040: Ultimately, no matter where its automated tech is, be it Level three or Four, Honda aims to have no crashes in Honda or Acura vehicles by 2040.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, Wi-Fi-based V2V and V2X.
2020 — Level Trio: Kia announced at CES two thousand sixteen that it is launching an autonomous driving sub-brand called “DRIVE WISE.” Additionally, the Korean carmaker benchmarked two thousand twenty as the date by which it would introduce its very first semi-autonomous tech. Albeit Kia is in the fledgling stages of developing its semi- and full-autonomy tech, it’s already named some of the systems. They include Highway Autonomous Driving (HAD), Preceding Vehicle Following (PVF), Emergency Stop System (ESS) and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).
Kia Motors introduces fresh autonomous driving technologies
2030 — Level Four: Kia also announced that by two thousand thirty it would be ready to introduce utter autonomy. These include systems it’s calling Urban Autonomous Driving (UAD) and Autonomous Valet Parking.
Tech: HAD relies on radar and cameras. UAD utilizes GPS and exterior sensors to identify the car’s position on the road. It also will rely on live traffic updates. Like Audi, Kia’s Driver Status Monitoring (DSM) system in its autonomous cars will monitor the driver’s face and if it detects he or she isn’t paying attention, the car will stir to the side of the road and come to a stop.
Mercedes-Benz
2016 — Level Two: In 2013, Mercedes released its very first Level two automated driving system, called DISTRONC PLUS with Steering Assist, which we tested on the Mercedes-AMG C63 S last year. Since then, the German automaker has released its newest and more sturdy Level two system, DRIVE PILOT, which debuted on the two thousand seventeen E-Class.
DRIVE PILOT is fairly sturdy for a Level two autonomous system. Like Honda Sensing, it can control braking and acceleration at or above regular highway speeds. It also permits the driver to go hands-free for as long as sixty seconds at a time up to speeds of eighty one mph. Distinctively, DRIVE PILOT can autonomously switch lanes, if a driver indicates a lane switch with the turn signals. Of course, if it detects a car in the other lane, it won’t carry out the maneuver.
The two thousand seventeen E-Class is the only production car that has been granted an autonomous driving license in Nevada. That means, DRIVE PILOT is far more capable than Mercedes permits it to be in its current form. However, Mercedes engineers have retarded the capabilities of DRIVE PILOT for the E-Class to ensure drivers understand that they are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the car.
Additionally, the all-new E-Class is also the very first production car to include V2V technology. At very first, this means all fresh E-Classes will be able to communicate significant road and driving information to one another. In the future, as other cars receive the tech, this means E-Classes will be able to communicate with other cars as well — not just its brand mates.
In addition to cars, Mercedes is testing autonomous semi trucks here in the U.S. and in Europe. In fact, it has been sending “platooning” fleets of self-driving semis across Europe this year with the intention of integrating driverless tech into commercial trucking in the near future.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, and V2V.
Nissan
2016 — Level Two: Nissan announced earlier this year that by 2020, it will have not just one but ten fully autonomous models on sale. It also laid out its roadmap for how it will get there, adding a fresh level of autonomy every two years. This year, the Japanese automaker will introduce its very first Level two system called ProPILOT. This system will be very first introduced to the Japanese market in the fresh Serena minivan. Nissan will then introduce it to the European marked in two thousand seventeen in the Qashqai crossover. Nissan hasn’t yet said when the tech will be debuted for the U.S. market. At this level of ProPILOT, the car will have what Nissan is calling “single-lane control” in powerful, stop-and-go traffic on highways.
2018 — Level Trio: Two years later, in 2018, Nissan will introduce ProPILOT Two.0 with “multiple-lane control.” ProPILOT Two.0 will add autonomous lane switches to the ProPILOT capabilities.
2020 — Level Four: By 2020, Nissan plans to expose ProPILOT Trio.0 with “intersection autonomy.” This will take Level four autonomy into the urban centers. Albeit Nissan hasn’t specifically divulged it, it’s likely that — as with Audi and Ford — these cars won’t be able to go anywhere. Instead, ProPILOT Trio.0 activation will be limited to strongly mapped areas.
Tech: Similar to other carmakers, ProPILOT and its variants will rely on radar, digital cameras and hi-def mapping technology. A Nissan representative admitted detailed maps will be required for ProPILOT Trio.0, which indicates it, too, will be limited in its operational availability.
Tesla
2015 — Level Two: Late last year, Tesla unveiled the now infamous Level two Autopilot system, which is part of a suite of driver assistance systems. These include Autosteer, Auto Lane Switch, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Side Collision Warning and Autopark.
Autopilot has been implicated in several crashes around the globe since its debut. Most notably, a Tesla driver died in a crash in Florida in early May with Autopilot engaged. He was reportedly watching a Harry Potter DVD while his Model S was operating in Autopilot mode.
Until Mercedes released its DRIVE PILOT, Tesla’s Autopilot was the only semi-autonomous system on the market that permitted for autonomous lane switches. This is not its only distinction, however. Autopilot is, from the driver’s standpoint, the most sturdy system presently on the market. It’s that robustness that’s gotten Tesla in trouble, tho’. Specifically, Consumer Reports recently called on Tesla to disable and rename Autopilot until it was made safer.
Notably, Autopilot is in public beta-testing. In fact, Tesla is the only carmaker beta-testing autonomous tech on the public. All other carmakers relegate testing to its engineers and employees.
Tech: Radar and a digital camera
2018 — Level Four: Tesla won’t confirm the exact timing of Level four autonomous driving or the tech sensors that will drive higher levels of autonomy. However, Elon Musk said in late two thousand fifteen that Tesla was two years away from utter autonomy.
Tech: It’s unclear what tech Tesla plans to add to its cars to enable higher levels of autonomy. That said, during the launch of Autopilot, Elon Musk exposed the company was gathering hi-def digital maps with its cars. Likely, this information will be utilized to implement Level four autonomy in future products.
Volvo
2016 — Level Two: For the two thousand seventeen model year of its vehicles, like the S90 sedan, Volvo introduced Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system. Like other Level two systems, it goes after traffic ahead and keeps the car within its lane.
However, that’s not the only news Volvo has made in the autonomous driving area for 2016. This summer, Volvo Cars and ride-sharing service Uber announced they were joining coerces to develop autonomous driving cars.
Volvo Cars and Uber join coerces to develop autonomous driving cars
2017 — Level Four: Intriguingly, Volvo is skipping Level three and going straight to Level Four. However, it won’t be a broad-scale rollout — at very first. The Swedish carmaker has said it will have one hundred autonomous cars testing on the roads Beijing in 2017, as a part of its Drive-Me program. Volvo plans to lease autonomous cars to customers in Sweden that year as well. These cars will be Level Four. Like so many other brands, the very first autonomous Volvo cars will only be able to drive themselves on highways known to the GPS system. This is more than an estimation, tho’. Volvo has already detailed what its self-driving car interface will look like.
What’s more, Volvo has even announced that it is working with Ericsson to stream your dearest shows in the dashboard of your autonomous car in the future. Think its Concept twenty six autonomous car interior, but in real life.
2020 — Tho’ Volvo will be achieving Level four before 2020, it has made two projections for that year. Very first it aims to suggest autonomous cars to the public — likely on a broader scale than in 2017. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it has long promised that no one will be killed or gravely injured in a Volvo by 2020. Of course, autonomy is the ultimate safety system. So, it makes sense that large-scale implementation of Level four autonomy would intersect with that safety benchmark that year.
Tech: Volvo has openly listed the tech that will permit its future cars to drive autonomously. They include (but are not limited to) trifocal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, surround view cameras, surround radar, long-range radar and combined radar and camera units.
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Mashable
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Just three years ago, autonomous cars seemed like a pipe fantasy relegated to a far-off decade in the future. But then, last week, Ford announced that in two thousand twenty one it’s planning to release an autonomous car without a steering wheel, brake or throttle pedals, designed for ride-sharing.
Just a few days later, Volvo and Uber made public their partnership to develop a driverless car.
Now, it seems autonomous cars aren’t just a fanciful future prospect but rather something tangible — and a real part of mobility in the near future.
The Ford and Volvo/Uber announcements, tho’, highlight the different approaches each company working on autonomous driving technology is taking. For example, some, like Audi, are introducing autonomous systems leisurely into their products to indoctrinate their buyers to the tech. Others, like Ford, are hopping straight to driverless cars.
Accordingly, we’ve compiled an alphabetical autonomy timeline encompassing the announcements and plans of the leaders in the space. What’s more, we’ve underlined the technology that each company aims to utilize to drive its driverless cars.
SAE automated driving levels
Before we get into the timeline, we need to understand the levels of autonomous driving technology, zero to Five, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Level zero is no assistance. Level one is defined by systems like collision mitigation braking that automatically brake if a collision is imminent.
Level two is the level at which all semi-autonomous systems on the road are at today. These include acceleration, braking and steering assistance.
Level three extends those to that the SAE describes as “some driving modes.” By that, it means the car can treat elevated levels of automated driving in given parameters — like on a freeway during the daylight. However, it’s expected that the human driver can take over driving duties, if asked.
Level four extends the autonomous capabilities and can treat all driving responsibilities, even if a human driver cannot intervene. Still, Level four is limited to “some driving modes.”
Level five takes total autonomy to “all driving modes.” That means the car is fully capable of driving itself anywhere in any condition, from a snowy, moonlit road to an unmapped desert. It should be noted that, at this point, Level five is theoretical. One Audi representative went so far as to describe it as “mythical.” It’s unlikely we’ll see Level five autonomous driving in our lifetimes.
2016 — Level Two: Audi’s Level two “Traffic Jam Assist” system is available on the two thousand seventeen Audi A4 and Q7. The system uses steering input to keep the car in its lane. What’s more, it permits the driver to take his or her mitts off the wheel in slow-moving traffic for fifteen seconds at a time. However, the driver can’t check out or turn attention away from the road, as he or she must intervene instantly if prompted by the car.
2018 — Level Trio: Audi pledges to be the very first carmaker to introduce Level three autonomy to the road with its next generation A8 full-size sedan. The A8 will debut Audi’s Traffic Jam Pilot system. It will treat accelerating, braking and steering up to thirty five mph. However, there are many parameters and limitations to engaging Traffic Jam Pilot. It will need to have no fewer than two cars ahead of it and it will need to recognize, based upon information GPS and other outward-facing sensors, that it is on a freeway. Its cameras will also detect whether the road is clear enough for ideal operation. It won’t be activated on a snow-covered road, for example.
The car will also require specific driver conditions before Traffic Jam Pilot can be engaged, too. It will need to detect a driver in the driver’s seat. What’s more, the car will include a camera-based driver awareness system that will look to see if the driver is awake and not incapacitated in some way (suffering a pulmonary embolism, for example).
Technology carrier drives autonomously on German Autobahn A9
2020/2021 — Level three Plus: Two or three years after the very first application Level Three, Audi will roll out what it’s harshly defining as “higher” Level Three. That means it will take the capability of Traffic Jam Pilot and extend it up to utter freeway speeds. It will require the same freeway verification from GPS and other sensors before it is engaged.
Audi will include in each car an event data recorder
Additionally, with Level Trio, Audi will include in each car an event data recorder (think an airplane’s black box). It will record the driving data directly preceding a collision, should one occur. Don’t worry, Audi won’t be recording all your driving data. The event data recorder will be permanently deleting the data it collects, if a collision doesn’t take place.
Late 2020s — Level Four: Utter highway and urban autonomy. These functions will only be permitted in pre-mapped and geofenced areas. That means these cars will not be able to drive autonomously everywhere. You couldn’t ask the car to autonomously drive from Los Angeles to Fresh York, for example, unless the route were mapped and programmed.
Tech: GPS, LIDAR (Light Imaging, Detection And Ranging), short- and long-range radar, and no fewer than two digital cameras will be needed for Audi’s autonomous cars. In total, Audi’s autonomous cars will have around twenty four sensors with almost 360-degree redundancy. In addition, the cars will include redundant steering and braking systems.
2016 — Level Two: With the all-new seven Series, BMW introduced several fresh Level two technologies: Traffic jam Assistant and driverless automated parking. Traffic jam Assistant can go after the car ahead on the highway and can read lane markings and add corrective steering to keep the car in its lane. This system works from zero to forty three mph.
European versions of the fresh BMW seven Series feature a self-parking function that doesn’t require a driver inwards the car. With the car’s key fob, a driver can exit the vehicle and direct the car into a parking spot. However, that function is not available here in the U.S.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras.
2021 — Level Four: Marking its 100th bday earlier this year, BMW announced that it has also pegged two thousand twenty one as the year during which it will unveil a fully autonomous car. It’s called iNext and not only will it be autonomous, it will also be intelligent, lightweight and the “next generation of electro-mobility,” according to BMW chairman of the board Harald Krüger.
The flagship iNext autonomous car will be created in collaboration with Intel and MobilEye. Albeit BMW has not yet specified any other dates for unveiling autonomous driving systems for its cars, the trio (BMW, Intel and MobilEye) have said they will create platform-based “future-proof” test cars by two thousand seventeen in order to hit the stated two thousand twenty one purpose. This platform will tackle, as BMW puts it, “‘eyes off’ (Level Trio), ‘mind off’ level (Level Four)” ‘driver off’ (Level Five).”
Tech: BMW hasn’t indicated specifically which tech will drive drive its autonomous cars, except Intel Atom and Xeo processors.
2019 — Level Two: In two thousand nineteen (or within three years of 2016), Ford plans to introduce two Level two autonomous systems: Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Automated Parking. Confusingly, Ford’s Level two system will carry the same name as Audi’s Level Three. Traffic Jam Assist, like other Level two systems on the road today, will go after a car ahead in traffic and control braking and acceleration as well as steering to keep the car in its lane.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras and ultrasonic sensors.
2021 — Level Four: Ford announced in August that in 2021, it will have driverless ride-sharing cars without a steering wheel, or brake or accelerator pedals. Unlike Audi and Nissan, which are leisurely ramping up autonomy step by step from Level two to three to Four, Ford is hopping several steps and going right to Four. While there could be many reasons for this, presumably price is the leading factor.
At very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to sell in Ford showrooms
Since it’s five years out, Ford doesn’t yet know what platform these cars will rail on, what they’ll look like or what will power them (gasoline or electrified powertrains). Ford did divulge that these cars will not be primarily available for purchase by customers. That could switch, however, as the cost of the onboard tech goes down. Likely, at very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to suggest up in Ford showrooms. And because Ford is keen to make autonomy available to the masses as quickly as possible, it doesn’t want to keep the tech relegated to enormously expensive luxury vehicles like Audi’s flagship A8.
It’s significant we understand why these Ford steering wheel-less cars are Level four and not Level Five. As we discussed earlier, Level five is defined by the SAE as a car’s capability to drive autonomous in ‘all driving modes.’ The Ford cars simply won’t be able to do that. They’ll only be permitted to operate in 3D-mapped, geofenced locations. Imagine, then, that these will operate in a few intensely mapped urban environments. So, unless you live in one of the very first markets for the Ford autonomous cars, it’s unlikely they’ll be a regular part of your life in the near future.
Tech: LIDAR, radar, digital cameras, 3D maps, 4G connectivity and, according to a Ford representative, possible vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication technology.
Honda
2016 — Level Two: Unlike the luxury brands on this list, Honda has shoved its Honda Sensing suite of autonomous driving technologies down into its most affordable models, including the $20,440 Civic Sedan. Honda Sensing includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that goes after the vehicle ahead, and Lane Keep Assist (LKAS), which uses a forward-facing camera that witnesses lane markings to keep the vehicle in its lane. Honda Sensing also includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation
Further bucking the trend of other systems on this list, Honda Sensing can be activated at any speed. Albeit it’s not locked to highways and freeways by GPS- or camera-based data, it’s recommended for use on freeways and not backroads or urban environments.
2020 — Level Trio: By 2020, Honda aims to have basic automated highway driving from “on ramp to off ramp.” Honda is being very conservative with its promised automated timelines beyond that, however. As such, it is hesitant to give specific dates for fear of missing them due to unforeseen technical or legislative hurdles. That said, Honda contends it is at the forefront of automated vehicle research.
Honda has divulged, tho’, that by two thousand twenty it also wants to integrate Wi-Fi-based vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology into its vehicles. Permitting cars and infrastructure to communicate with one another will add an extra level of automation.
2040: Ultimately, no matter where its automated tech is, be it Level three or Four, Honda aims to have no crashes in Honda or Acura vehicles by 2040.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, Wi-Fi-based V2V and V2X.
2020 — Level Three: Kia announced at CES two thousand sixteen that it is launching an autonomous driving sub-brand called “DRIVE WISE.” Additionally, the Korean carmaker benchmarked two thousand twenty as the date by which it would introduce its very first semi-autonomous tech. Albeit Kia is in the fledgling stages of developing its semi- and full-autonomy tech, it’s already named some of the systems. They include Highway Autonomous Driving (HAD), Preceding Vehicle Following (PVF), Emergency Stop System (ESS) and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).
Kia Motors introduces fresh autonomous driving technologies
2030 — Level Four: Kia also announced that by two thousand thirty it would be ready to introduce utter autonomy. These include systems it’s calling Urban Autonomous Driving (UAD) and Autonomous Valet Parking.
Tech: HAD relies on radar and cameras. UAD utilizes GPS and exterior sensors to identify the car’s position on the road. It also will rely on live traffic updates. Like Audi, Kia’s Driver Status Monitoring (DSM) system in its autonomous cars will monitor the driver’s face and if it detects he or she isn’t paying attention, the car will budge to the side of the road and come to a stop.
Mercedes-Benz
2016 — Level Two: In 2013, Mercedes released its very first Level two automated driving system, called DISTRONC PLUS with Steering Assist, which we tested on the Mercedes-AMG C63 S last year. Since then, the German automaker has released its newest and more sturdy Level two system, DRIVE PILOT, which debuted on the two thousand seventeen E-Class.
DRIVE PILOT is fairly sturdy for a Level two autonomous system. Like Honda Sensing, it can control braking and acceleration at or above regular highway speeds. It also permits the driver to go hands-free for as long as sixty seconds at a time up to speeds of eighty one mph. Distinctively, DRIVE PILOT can autonomously switch lanes, if a driver indicates a lane switch with the turn signals. Of course, if it detects a car in the other lane, it won’t carry out the maneuver.
The two thousand seventeen E-Class is the only production car that has been granted an autonomous driving license in Nevada. That means, DRIVE PILOT is far more capable than Mercedes permits it to be in its current form. However, Mercedes engineers have retarded the capabilities of DRIVE PILOT for the E-Class to ensure drivers understand that they are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the car.
Additionally, the all-new E-Class is also the very first production car to include V2V technology. At very first, this means all fresh E-Classes will be able to communicate significant road and driving information to one another. In the future, as other cars receive the tech, this means E-Classes will be able to communicate with other cars as well — not just its brand mates.
In addition to cars, Mercedes is testing autonomous semi trucks here in the U.S. and in Europe. In fact, it has been sending “platooning” fleets of self-driving semis across Europe this year with the intention of integrating driverless tech into commercial trucking in the near future.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, and V2V.
Nissan
2016 — Level Two: Nissan announced earlier this year that by 2020, it will have not just one but ten fully autonomous models on sale. It also laid out its roadmap for how it will get there, adding a fresh level of autonomy every two years. This year, the Japanese automaker will introduce its very first Level two system called ProPILOT. This system will be very first introduced to the Japanese market in the fresh Serena minivan. Nissan will then introduce it to the European marked in two thousand seventeen in the Qashqai crossover. Nissan hasn’t yet said when the tech will be debuted for the U.S. market. At this level of ProPILOT, the car will have what Nissan is calling “single-lane control” in mighty, stop-and-go traffic on highways.
2018 — Level Trio: Two years later, in 2018, Nissan will introduce ProPILOT Two.0 with “multiple-lane control.” ProPILOT Two.0 will add autonomous lane switches to the ProPILOT capabilities.
2020 — Level Four: By 2020, Nissan plans to expose ProPILOT Three.0 with “intersection autonomy.” This will take Level four autonomy into the urban centers. Albeit Nissan hasn’t specifically divulged it, it’s likely that — as with Audi and Ford — these cars won’t be able to go anywhere. Instead, ProPILOT Trio.0 activation will be limited to strenuously mapped areas.
Tech: Similar to other carmakers, ProPILOT and its variants will rely on radar, digital cameras and hi-def mapping technology. A Nissan representative admitted detailed maps will be required for ProPILOT Three.0, which indicates it, too, will be limited in its operational availability.
Tesla
2015 — Level Two: Late last year, Tesla unveiled the now infamous Level two Autopilot system, which is part of a suite of driver assistance systems. These include Autosteer, Auto Lane Switch, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Side Collision Warning and Autopark.
Autopilot has been implicated in several crashes around the globe since its debut. Most notably, a Tesla driver died in a crash in Florida in early May with Autopilot engaged. He was reportedly watching a Harry Potter DVD while his Model S was operating in Autopilot mode.
Until Mercedes released its DRIVE PILOT, Tesla’s Autopilot was the only semi-autonomous system on the market that permitted for autonomous lane switches. This is not its only distinction, however. Autopilot is, from the driver’s standpoint, the most sturdy system presently on the market. It’s that robustness that’s gotten Tesla in trouble, however. Specifically, Consumer Reports recently called on Tesla to disable and rename Autopilot until it was made safer.
Notably, Autopilot is in public beta-testing. In fact, Tesla is the only carmaker beta-testing autonomous tech on the public. All other carmakers relegate testing to its engineers and employees.
Tech: Radar and a digital camera
2018 — Level Four: Tesla won’t confirm the exact timing of Level four autonomous driving or the tech sensors that will drive higher levels of autonomy. However, Elon Musk said in late two thousand fifteen that Tesla was two years away from total autonomy.
Tech: It’s unclear what tech Tesla plans to add to its cars to enable higher levels of autonomy. That said, during the launch of Autopilot, Elon Musk exposed the company was gathering hi-def digital maps with its cars. Likely, this information will be utilized to implement Level four autonomy in future products.
Volvo
2016 — Level Two: For the two thousand seventeen model year of its vehicles, like the S90 sedan, Volvo introduced Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system. Like other Level two systems, it goes after traffic ahead and keeps the car within its lane.
Tho’, that’s not the only news Volvo has made in the autonomous driving field for 2016. This summer, Volvo Cars and ride-sharing service Uber announced they were joining coerces to develop autonomous driving cars.
Volvo Cars and Uber join compels to develop autonomous driving cars
2017 — Level Four: Intriguingly, Volvo is skipping Level three and going straight to Level Four. However, it won’t be a broad-scale rollout — at very first. The Swedish carmaker has said it will have one hundred autonomous cars testing on the roads Beijing in 2017, as a part of its Drive-Me program. Volvo plans to lease autonomous cars to customers in Sweden that year as well. These cars will be Level Four. Like so many other brands, the very first autonomous Volvo cars will only be able to drive themselves on highways known to the GPS system. This is more than an estimation, tho’. Volvo has already detailed what its self-driving car interface will look like.
What’s more, Volvo has even announced that it is working with Ericsson to stream your beloved shows in the dashboard of your autonomous car in the future. Think its Concept twenty six autonomous car interior, but in real life.
2020 — Tho’ Volvo will be achieving Level four before 2020, it has made two projections for that year. Very first it aims to suggest autonomous cars to the public — likely on a broader scale than in 2017. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it has long promised that no one will be killed or earnestly injured in a Volvo by 2020. Of course, autonomy is the ultimate safety system. So, it makes sense that large-scale implementation of Level four autonomy would intersect with that safety benchmark that year.
Tech: Volvo has openly listed the tech that will permit its future cars to drive autonomously. They include (but are not limited to) trifocal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, surround view cameras, surround radar, long-range radar and combined radar and camera units.
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Mashable
Timeline: The future of driverless cars, from Audi to Volvo
Just three years ago, autonomous cars seemed like a pipe wish relegated to a far-off decade in the future. But then, last week, Ford announced that in two thousand twenty one it’s planning to release an autonomous car without a steering wheel, brake or throttle pedals, designed for ride-sharing.
Just a few days later, Volvo and Uber made public their partnership to develop a driverless car.
Now, it seems autonomous cars aren’t just a fanciful future prospect but rather something tangible — and a real part of mobility in the near future.
The Ford and Volvo/Uber announcements, however, highlight the different approaches each company working on autonomous driving technology is taking. For example, some, like Audi, are introducing autonomous systems leisurely into their products to indoctrinate their buyers to the tech. Others, like Ford, are leaping straight to driverless cars.
Accordingly, we’ve compiled an alphabetical autonomy timeline encompassing the announcements and plans of the leaders in the space. What’s more, we’ve underlined the technology that each company aims to utilize to drive its driverless cars.
SAE automated driving levels
Before we get into the timeline, we need to understand the levels of autonomous driving technology, zero to Five, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Level zero is no assistance. Level one is defined by systems like collision mitigation braking that automatically brake if a collision is imminent.
Level two is the level at which all semi-autonomous systems on the road are at today. These include acceleration, braking and steering assistance.
Level three extends those to that the SAE describes as “some driving modes.” By that, it means the car can treat elevated levels of automated driving in given parameters — like on a freeway during the daylight. However, it’s expected that the human driver can take over driving duties, if asked.
Level four extends the autonomous capabilities and can treat all driving responsibilities, even if a human driver cannot intervene. Still, Level four is limited to “some driving modes.”
Level five takes total autonomy to “all driving modes.” That means the car is fully capable of driving itself anywhere in any condition, from a snowy, moonlit road to an unmapped desert. It should be noted that, at this point, Level five is theoretical. One Audi representative went so far as to describe it as “mythical.” It’s unlikely we’ll see Level five autonomous driving in our lifetimes.
2016 — Level Two: Audi’s Level two “Traffic Jam Assist” system is available on the two thousand seventeen Audi A4 and Q7. The system uses steering input to keep the car in its lane. What’s more, it permits the driver to take his or her arms off the wheel in slow-moving traffic for fifteen seconds at a time. However, the driver can’t check out or turn attention away from the road, as he or she must intervene instantaneously if prompted by the car.
2018 — Level Trio: Audi pledges to be the very first carmaker to introduce Level three autonomy to the road with its next generation A8 full-size sedan. The A8 will debut Audi’s Traffic Jam Pilot system. It will treat accelerating, braking and steering up to thirty five mph. However, there are many parameters and limitations to engaging Traffic Jam Pilot. It will need to have no fewer than two cars ahead of it and it will need to recognize, based upon information GPS and other outward-facing sensors, that it is on a freeway. Its cameras will also detect whether the road is clear enough for ideal operation. It won’t be activated on a snow-covered road, for example.
The car will also require specific driver conditions before Traffic Jam Pilot can be engaged, too. It will need to detect a driver in the driver’s seat. What’s more, the car will include a camera-based driver awareness system that will look to see if the driver is awake and not incapacitated in some way (suffering a pulmonary embolism, for example).
Technology carrier drives autonomously on German Autobahn A9
2020/2021 — Level three Plus: Two or three years after the very first application Level Trio, Audi will roll out what it’s harshly defining as “higher” Level Three. That means it will take the capability of Traffic Jam Pilot and extend it up to total freeway speeds. It will require the same freeway verification from GPS and other sensors before it is engaged.
Audi will include in each car an event data recorder
Additionally, with Level Three, Audi will include in each car an event data recorder (think an airplane’s black box). It will record the driving data directly preceding a collision, should one occur. Don’t worry, Audi won’t be recording all your driving data. The event data recorder will be permanently deleting the data it collects, if a collision doesn’t take place.
Late 2020s — Level Four: Utter highway and urban autonomy. These functions will only be permitted in pre-mapped and geofenced areas. That means these cars will not be able to drive autonomously everywhere. You couldn’t ask the car to autonomously drive from Los Angeles to Fresh York, for example, unless the route were mapped and programmed.
Tech: GPS, LIDAR (Light Imaging, Detection And Ranging), short- and long-range radar, and no fewer than two digital cameras will be needed for Audi’s autonomous cars. In total, Audi’s autonomous cars will have around twenty four sensors with almost 360-degree redundancy. In addition, the cars will include redundant steering and braking systems.
2016 — Level Two: With the all-new seven Series, BMW introduced several fresh Level two technologies: Traffic jam Assistant and driverless automated parking. Traffic jam Assistant can go after the car ahead on the highway and can read lane markings and add corrective steering to keep the car in its lane. This system works from zero to forty three mph.
European versions of the fresh BMW seven Series feature a self-parking function that doesn’t require a driver inwards the car. With the car’s key fob, a driver can exit the vehicle and direct the car into a parking spot. However, that function is not available here in the U.S.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras.
2021 — Level Four: Marking its 100th bday earlier this year, BMW announced that it has also pegged two thousand twenty one as the year during which it will unveil a fully autonomous car. It’s called iNext and not only will it be autonomous, it will also be intelligent, lightweight and the “next generation of electro-mobility,” according to BMW chairman of the board Harald Krüger.
The flagship iNext autonomous car will be created in collaboration with Intel and MobilEye. Albeit BMW has not yet specified any other dates for unveiling autonomous driving systems for its cars, the trio (BMW, Intel and MobilEye) have said they will create platform-based “future-proof” test cars by two thousand seventeen in order to hit the stated two thousand twenty one objective. This platform will tackle, as BMW puts it, “‘eyes off’ (Level Trio), ‘mind off’ level (Level Four)” ‘driver off’ (Level Five).”
Tech: BMW hasn’t indicated specifically which tech will drive drive its autonomous cars, except Intel Atom and Xeo processors.
2019 — Level Two: In two thousand nineteen (or within three years of 2016), Ford plans to introduce two Level two autonomous systems: Traffic Jam Assist and Fully Automated Parking. Confusingly, Ford’s Level two system will carry the same name as Audi’s Level Trio. Traffic Jam Assist, like other Level two systems on the road today, will go after a car ahead in traffic and control braking and acceleration as well as steering to keep the car in its lane.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras and ultrasonic sensors.
2021 — Level Four: Ford announced in August that in 2021, it will have driverless ride-sharing cars without a steering wheel, or brake or accelerator pedals. Unlike Audi and Nissan, which are leisurely ramping up autonomy step by step from Level two to three to Four, Ford is leaping several steps and going right to Four. While there could be many reasons for this, presumably price is the leading factor.
At very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to sell in Ford showrooms
Since it’s five years out, Ford doesn’t yet know what platform these cars will rail on, what they’ll look like or what will power them (gasoline or electrified powertrains). Ford did divulge that these cars will not be primarily available for purchase by customers. That could switch, however, as the cost of the onboard tech goes down. Likely, at very first, the cars will be prohibitively expensive to suggest up in Ford showrooms. And because Ford is keen to make autonomy available to the masses as quickly as possible, it doesn’t want to keep the tech relegated to enormously expensive luxury vehicles like Audi’s flagship A8.
It’s significant we understand why these Ford steering wheel-less cars are Level four and not Level Five. As we discussed earlier, Level five is defined by the SAE as a car’s capability to drive autonomous in ‘all driving modes.’ The Ford cars simply won’t be able to do that. They’ll only be permitted to operate in 3D-mapped, geofenced locations. Imagine, then, that these will operate in a few powerfully mapped urban environments. So, unless you live in one of the very first markets for the Ford autonomous cars, it’s unlikely they’ll be a regular part of your life in the near future.
Tech: LIDAR, radar, digital cameras, 3D maps, 4G connectivity and, according to a Ford representative, possible vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication technology.
Honda
2016 — Level Two: Unlike the luxury brands on this list, Honda has shoved its Honda Sensing suite of autonomous driving technologies down into its most affordable models, including the $20,440 Civic Sedan. Honda Sensing includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) that goes after the vehicle ahead, and Lane Keep Assist (LKAS), which uses a forward-facing camera that observes lane markings to keep the vehicle in its lane. Honda Sensing also includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Road Departure Mitigation
Further bucking the trend of other systems on this list, Honda Sensing can be activated at any speed. Albeit it’s not locked to highways and freeways by GPS- or camera-based data, it’s recommended for use on freeways and not backroads or urban environments.
2020 — Level Three: By 2020, Honda aims to have basic automated highway driving from “on ramp to off ramp.” Honda is being very conservative with its promised automated timelines beyond that, however. As such, it is hesitant to give specific dates for fear of missing them due to unforeseen technical or legislative hurdles. That said, Honda contends it is at the forefront of automated vehicle research.
Honda has divulged, tho’, that by two thousand twenty it also wants to integrate Wi-Fi-based vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology into its vehicles. Permitting cars and infrastructure to communicate with one another will add an extra level of automation.
2040: Ultimately, no matter where its automated tech is, be it Level three or Four, Honda aims to have no crashes in Honda or Acura vehicles by 2040.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, Wi-Fi-based V2V and V2X.
2020 — Level Trio: Kia announced at CES two thousand sixteen that it is launching an autonomous driving sub-brand called “DRIVE WISE.” Additionally, the Korean carmaker benchmarked two thousand twenty as the date by which it would introduce its very first semi-autonomous tech. Albeit Kia is in the fledgling stages of developing its semi- and full-autonomy tech, it’s already named some of the systems. They include Highway Autonomous Driving (HAD), Preceding Vehicle Following (PVF), Emergency Stop System (ESS) and Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).
Kia Motors introduces fresh autonomous driving technologies
2030 — Level Four: Kia also announced that by two thousand thirty it would be ready to introduce utter autonomy. These include systems it’s calling Urban Autonomous Driving (UAD) and Autonomous Valet Parking.
Tech: HAD relies on radar and cameras. UAD utilizes GPS and exterior sensors to identify the car’s position on the road. It also will rely on live traffic updates. Like Audi, Kia’s Driver Status Monitoring (DSM) system in its autonomous cars will monitor the driver’s face and if it detects he or she isn’t paying attention, the car will budge to the side of the road and come to a stop.
Mercedes-Benz
2016 — Level Two: In 2013, Mercedes released its very first Level two automated driving system, called DISTRONC PLUS with Steering Assist, which we tested on the Mercedes-AMG C63 S last year. Since then, the German automaker has released its newest and more sturdy Level two system, DRIVE PILOT, which debuted on the two thousand seventeen E-Class.
DRIVE PILOT is fairly sturdy for a Level two autonomous system. Like Honda Sensing, it can control braking and acceleration at or above regular highway speeds. It also permits the driver to go hands-free for as long as sixty seconds at a time up to speeds of eighty one mph. Distinctively, DRIVE PILOT can autonomously switch lanes, if a driver indicates a lane switch with the turn signals. Of course, if it detects a car in the other lane, it won’t carry out the maneuver.
The two thousand seventeen E-Class is the only production car that has been granted an autonomous driving license in Nevada. That means, DRIVE PILOT is far more capable than Mercedes permits it to be in its current form. However, Mercedes engineers have retarded the capabilities of DRIVE PILOT for the E-Class to ensure drivers understand that they are ultimately responsible for the safe operation of the car.
Additionally, the all-new E-Class is also the very first production car to include V2V technology. At very first, this means all fresh E-Classes will be able to communicate significant road and driving information to one another. In the future, as other cars receive the tech, this means E-Classes will be able to communicate with other cars as well — not just its brand mates.
In addition to cars, Mercedes is testing autonomous semi trucks here in the U.S. and in Europe. In fact, it has been sending “platooning” fleets of self-driving semis across Europe this year with the intention of integrating driverless tech into commercial trucking in the near future.
Tech: Radar, digital cameras, and V2V.
Nissan
2016 — Level Two: Nissan announced earlier this year that by 2020, it will have not just one but ten fully autonomous models on sale. It also laid out its roadmap for how it will get there, adding a fresh level of autonomy every two years. This year, the Japanese automaker will introduce its very first Level two system called ProPILOT. This system will be very first introduced to the Japanese market in the fresh Serena minivan. Nissan will then introduce it to the European marked in two thousand seventeen in the Qashqai crossover. Nissan hasn’t yet said when the tech will be debuted for the U.S. market. At this level of ProPILOT, the car will have what Nissan is calling “single-lane control” in strenuous, stop-and-go traffic on highways.
2018 — Level Trio: Two years later, in 2018, Nissan will introduce ProPILOT Two.0 with “multiple-lane control.” ProPILOT Two.0 will add autonomous lane switches to the ProPILOT capabilities.
2020 — Level Four: By 2020, Nissan plans to expose ProPILOT Three.0 with “intersection autonomy.” This will take Level four autonomy into the urban centers. Albeit Nissan hasn’t specifically divulged it, it’s likely that — as with Audi and Ford — these cars won’t be able to go anywhere. Instead, ProPILOT Trio.0 activation will be limited to strongly mapped areas.
Tech: Similar to other carmakers, ProPILOT and its variants will rely on radar, digital cameras and hi-def mapping technology. A Nissan representative admitted detailed maps will be required for ProPILOT Trio.0, which indicates it, too, will be limited in its operational availability.
Tesla
2015 — Level Two: Late last year, Tesla unveiled the now infamous Level two Autopilot system, which is part of a suite of driver assistance systems. These include Autosteer, Auto Lane Switch, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Side Collision Warning and Autopark.
Autopilot has been implicated in several crashes around the globe since its debut. Most notably, a Tesla driver died in a crash in Florida in early May with Autopilot engaged. He was reportedly watching a Harry Potter DVD while his Model S was operating in Autopilot mode.
Until Mercedes released its DRIVE PILOT, Tesla’s Autopilot was the only semi-autonomous system on the market that permitted for autonomous lane switches. This is not its only distinction, however. Autopilot is, from the driver’s standpoint, the most sturdy system presently on the market. It’s that robustness that’s gotten Tesla in trouble, tho’. Specifically, Consumer Reports recently called on Tesla to disable and rename Autopilot until it was made safer.
Notably, Autopilot is in public beta-testing. In fact, Tesla is the only carmaker beta-testing autonomous tech on the public. All other carmakers relegate testing to its engineers and employees.
Tech: Radar and a digital camera
2018 — Level Four: Tesla won’t confirm the exact timing of Level four autonomous driving or the tech sensors that will drive higher levels of autonomy. However, Elon Musk said in late two thousand fifteen that Tesla was two years away from total autonomy.
Tech: It’s unclear what tech Tesla plans to add to its cars to enable higher levels of autonomy. That said, during the launch of Autopilot, Elon Musk exposed the company was gathering hi-def digital maps with its cars. Likely, this information will be utilized to implement Level four autonomy in future products.
Volvo
2016 — Level Two: For the two thousand seventeen model year of its vehicles, like the S90 sedan, Volvo introduced Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system. Like other Level two systems, it goes after traffic ahead and keeps the car within its lane.
However, that’s not the only news Volvo has made in the autonomous driving sphere for 2016. This summer, Volvo Cars and ride-sharing service Uber announced they were joining compels to develop autonomous driving cars.
Volvo Cars and Uber join compels to develop autonomous driving cars
2017 — Level Four: Intriguingly, Volvo is skipping Level three and going straight to Level Four. However, it won’t be a broad-scale rollout — at very first. The Swedish carmaker has said it will have one hundred autonomous cars testing on the roads Beijing in 2017, as a part of its Drive-Me program. Volvo plans to lease autonomous cars to customers in Sweden that year as well. These cars will be Level Four. Like so many other brands, the very first autonomous Volvo cars will only be able to drive themselves on highways known to the GPS system. This is more than an estimation, however. Volvo has already detailed what its self-driving car interface will look like.
What’s more, Volvo has even announced that it is working with Ericsson to stream your beloved shows in the dashboard of your autonomous car in the future. Think its Concept twenty six autonomous car interior, but in real life.
2020 — Tho’ Volvo will be achieving Level four before 2020, it has made two projections for that year. Very first it aims to suggest autonomous cars to the public — likely on a broader scale than in 2017. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it has long promised that no one will be killed or gravely injured in a Volvo by 2020. Of course, autonomy is the ultimate safety system. So, it makes sense that large-scale implementation of Level four autonomy would intersect with that safety benchmark that year.
Tech: Volvo has openly listed the tech that will permit its future cars to drive autonomously. They include (but are not limited to) trifocal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, surround view cameras, surround radar, long-range radar and combined radar and camera units.