“Autonomous driving technology is composed of five steps from level-1 to level-5, which is a definition used commonly throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. Of course, the higher the stages, the more advanced autonomous driving technologies are required.”

According to the explanation of professor Heo Keon-su from the Hanyang University’s Department of Automotive Engineering, the level-1 autonomous driving technology has already been commercialized through vehicle cruise-control for steady speed and selective active control technology in preventing lane departures. The level-2 autonomous driving technology corresponds to comprehensive active control. This means that the level of control of the acceleration and the braking to maintain a certain distance is set by the driver, and when the vehicle in front slows down, it automatically decelerates or accelerates to maintain a certain distance. It also includes following the lane by shifting the handle according to the lane’s form. During the last 3~4 years, many automobile companies such as Tesla, GM, Mercedes Benz, Hyundai KIA Motors, BMW, Audi, Ford, and Volkswagen have been actively selling automobiles with level-2 autonomous driving functions. In fact, Tesla’s AutoPilot, which was widely recognized with its autonomous driving technology, falls under the level-2 comprehensive active control.

“Level-3 is a partial autonomous driving system, which has not been commercialized anywhere yet. Autonomous driving is possible, but the system can also request the driver to manually control the vehicle when necessary. For example, if autonomous driving is difficult from a sudden accident or road renovations, the driver receives a request to drive manually. The level-4 system has the technology to autonomously enter a highway tollgate after setting its destination, while the level-5 system is completely autonomous driving, which can automatically drive from a given starting point to its destination.”

In the United States and China, autonomous driving technology development and investments for product shipment, public transportation, and passenger transport for official use or commercialization is actively carried out through commercial trucks, buses, shuttle buses, robot taxis, and delivery robots. The technology is sometimes limited in several cities in the United States and China, but autonomous vehicles like robot taxis are actually in operation. Of course, there are more regrets. Autonomous vehicles that are currently being operated are mere trial operations with safety drivers on board or partially empty driver seats. The autonomous shuttles are also largely limited to certain places at low speed (under 40km/h) in towns with a large elderly population, parks, inside resorts, airports, and around bus stops. This is still far from the autonomous driving that we’ve been dreaming of. Then, when will we be able to completely see autonomous vehicles?

“Referring to the current technology levels, it seems that using completely autonomous vehicles that go from the starting point to its destination without drivers will happen in the far future. There are still steep technological hurdles to climb in order to one day witness a completely autonomous vehicle. It is impossible for anyone to know when the level of technology will reach levels 4 and 5, but there is no need to be discouraged. If we apply and enhance the technologies being developed to level-2, then we will eventually be able to witness more comfortable as well as safer autonomous vehicles.”

The outlook for autonomous vehicles will all depend on how many technological innovations in autonomous driving take place within the next few years and how fast the resulting business models can be created. Furthermore, there are a multitude of issues that need to be discussed and agreed upon in society regarding policies, the culture, and responsibility for accidents related to autonomous vehicles. Nonetheless, the expectations and future vision for autonomous vehicles that we are all dreaming of is still valid.