If you've been eagerly awaiting taking your eyes off the road when Level 3 hands-off-eyes-off driver assist finally shows up, then you might want to take a breath. Those eyes-off systems might seem like a big jump over current hands-off ones, but a new report suggests that it might be a bad idea. Passing control back and forth between you and the computer sounds simple in practice, but it could be a complicated middle-ground of driver-versus-machine that offers little benefit with maximum liability concerns.
Level 3 Might Feel Just Right
Level 3 isn't just the midpoint on the SAE autonomous driving chart; it's the middle in terms of capability. It looks like a sweet spot between the basic fancy cruise control with lane assistance of L2, and L4's no need for a driver in most circumstances.
Automakers are working hard on it, sort of. Stellantis announced a year ago that it had L3 Auto Drive "fully developed and ready for deployment." Ford has announced that it expects to have L3 ready for 2028, with GM ready to bring it to Cadillac the same year.Mercedes-Benz was the first to bring L3 to market in the US, in 2023. It got approval for the Drive Pilot system in California and Nevada that year. That's not the whole story, though.
"We don't know if Level 3 ever makes financial sense," Paul Thomas told Reuters. He's the president of North America business at automotive supplier and tech company Bosch, so if anyone would know, he's high on the list.
The report puts the cost of an L3 system at up to $1.5 billion. It's double the amount of an L2 system for just limited extra functionality. "Those carmakers who have attempted an L3 system, and the consumers who have tried it, are finding that the juice isn’t worth the squeeze," John Krafcik, the former CEO of Waymo and current board member of EV maker Rivian, told Reuters.
L3 Could Be Cold Porridge, Though
Automakers are already begging to walk back plans. Stellantis reportedly shelved its program just six months after first announcing it was ready to go. Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz pushed pause on Drive Pilot, citing its limited speeds and geofencing as cutting into demand. Tesla is focusing on Full Self Driving, which would jump from its current Supervised L2 system to L4.
According to the report, L3 needs to essentially function as L4 most of the time, or at least enough to be useful. Then somehow, automakers would need to be able to transition control back to the driver – who presumably isn't paying attention – in a safe manner. And it may have to happen pretty quickly. If you've been nose-down for anything longer than a handful of seconds, you probably don't have a full picture of what's happening around you. It will take some time to get it back.
Source: Reuters
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This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
