Autonomous driving levels 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5! What it is, how it works

The cars of the future will be increasingly Automatic Driving Lessons Birmingham connected and self-driving. Let's find out how the cars will drive on their own, the levels of autonomous driving and the devices used Watch out for cars that drive alone, self-driving ones ! Our cars already today integrate more and more driver assistance devices ( ADAS ) but more and more "invasive" systems are arriving on the control of the car through which cars will be able to drive alone without anyone behind the wheel.

Autonomous driving, you read and she drives

The car will arrive without a driver, without a driver, only with passengers on board, the self-driving one! You will be able to do other things, like reading or watching a movie while she drives in total autonomy. Let's try to understand something more about the self-driving car, the levels of autonomous driving, the legislation and the devices on which it relies to manage the functions of the car.

What is autonomous driving? How does the self-driving car work? What are the levels of autonomous driving? But what is meant by " self-driving car "? The car is said to be self-driving when it is capable of autonomously doing what a driver does to drive a car. Through various devices such as radar, lidar, GPS, cameras and sensors the car is able to advance even on its own.In short, with autonomous driving we mean the result of the symbiosis of driving aid devices and systems for detecting the environment surrounding the car that will allow in the near future to entrust the control of the car only to the computer, which will be able to manage engine, gearbox, steering and brakes in complete safety.

Autonomous driving levels

The autonomous driving is divided into successive levels , in which the "depth" of the automatic intervention is growing. They are essentially 6 from level 0 to level 5. 

LEVEL 0 autonomous driving

Cars equipped with safety systems that can only intervene in certain driving situations such as crossing the lane (line assist) or signaling the presence of an obstacle within the blind spot are at "zero" autonomous driving level. . At zero level, no devices take control of the car.

Autonomous driving LEVEL 1

In level 1, cars equipped with driver Automatic driving lessons Wolverhampton assistance systems that act on steering, accelerator and brakes, such as lane maintenance and adaptive cruise control, are now quite widespread.

Autonomous driving LEVEL 2

With level 2 the systems can avoid a collision by going around an obstacle, slow down and accelerate to follow the flow of traffic, brake automatically. These devices are also beginning to be available on cars that are not necessarily very expensive.

Autonomous driving LEVEL 3

It is with level 3 that the autopilot is able to take complete command of the vehicle and react to the instructions of the driver who, in certain traffic conditions, can “delegate” to the system some crucial functions for safety. The first models equipped with level 3 autonomous driving went on the market in 2018.

Autonomous driving LEVEL 4

With level 4  the car practically drives alone, the driver becomes a passenger and acts on the pedals and steering wheel only in an emergency. This type of technology is already under development and will enter the market by 2020.

Autonomous driving LEVEL 5

With level 5  the vehicle is without pedals or steering wheel. We are mere mere passive passengers totally.

Regulatory autonomous driving

Currently, the  UK road regulations do not contemplate the possibility that a car can move independently, therefore the most advanced prototypes, ready to be placed on the market in about 5 years, are part of the so-called "level 4" , that is, they still keep flying and pedal board. The next step will therefore be the complete disappearance of the classic driving commands .

Autonomous driving on the road without hands on the steering wheel

Self-driving car with no hands behind the wheel, she goes alone

Germany, in Europe,  was the first nation to introduce a legal discipline to regulate self-driving cars, with a commission and the first guidelines for self-driving cars: it must have a black box that records the "criticalities of the vehicle".

Autonomous driving, how it is made, what are the devices

The "eyes" of the most advanced autonomous driving systems are made up of various instruments for detecting the surrounding environment. Let's see in detail what are the devices on which autonomous driving is based.

LIDAR

Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (Lidar), which is a multiple beam laser scanner installed on the front of the car, which measures the distance to an object based on the way in which the emitted ray is reflected. It has a range of about 150 meters, and is able to distinguish detected objects allowing the system to identify potential dangers.

RADAR

Radar : provide a detailed 360 ° view of the area around the car. The relative speed and distance of objects are measured using the Doppler effect (approaching or moving away from an obstacle) and the delay generated by the frequency changes between the emitted and received signal. Rear-facing transmitters are essential to be able to change lanes by detecting vehicles approaching from behind.

GPS

GPS  the high-performance Automatic Driving Lessons Solihull global positioning system will work in synergy with 3D digital maps to let the car know exactly where it is and what is in the surrounding area. This way the car will be able to calculate the fastest and traffic-free route.