Autonomous Driving Levels and What They Mean to You
SAE International (formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recognize six tiers of autonomous driving capability in cars: Level 0, no autonomy; Level 1, driver assistance; Level 2, partial automation; Level 3, conditional automation; Level 4, high automation; and Level 5, full automation.
- ${price_badge()}
- ${battery_badge()}${ev_report_link()}
- ${hot_car_badge()}
- ${award_badge()}
- ${cpo_badge()}
${price_badge_description}
The EV Battery Rating is based on this vehicle's current expected range relative to the vehicles expected range when new. ${battery_badge_text}
Certified cars are manufacturer warrantied and typically go through a rigorous multi-point inspection.
This car is likely to sell soon based on the price, features, and condition.
${award_blurb}
${award_two_blurb}
Shop the 2020 Audi A8 near you
It bears noting that no passenger car in the U.S., as of this writing, is rated higher than Level 2. The 2020 Audi A8 full-size luxury sedan had been expected to debut Level 3 technology before those plans were scuttled by regulatory obstacles. Make no mistake, though: It’s not a question of if these higher tiers of autonomy will make it to a production car in America, but when — eventually leading to full self-driving capability.
To give you an idea of where the technology is taking us, here are more in-depth explanations of the six levels of autonomous driving and what they mean to you, the “driver”:
Level 0: No Autonomy
Zero autonomy; the driver performs all driving tasks.
What It Means to You
It’s all you, man. You’re doing all the driving with no technological assistance.
Level 1: Driver Assistance
The vehicle is controlled by the driver, but some driver assist features may be included in the vehicle design.
What It Means to You
An advanced driver assistance system, or ADAS, can sometimes assist the human driver with either steering or braking and accelerating — but not both simultaneously.
Level 2: Partial Automation
The vehicle has combined automated functions, such as acceleration and steering, but the driver must remain engaged with the driving task and monitor the environment at all times.
What It Means to You
An ADAS on the vehicle can control both steering and braking/accelerating simultaneously under some circumstances. The human driver must pay full attention, i.e., “monitor the driving environment” continually and perform the rest of the driving tasks.
Level 3: Conditional Automation
A driver is a necessity but is not required to monitor the environment. The driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times with notice.
What It Means to You
An automated driving system, or ADS, can perform all aspects of the driving task under some circumstances. In those circumstances, the human driver must be ready to take back control any time the ADS requests the human driver to do so. In all other circumstances, the human driver performs driving tasks.
Level 4: High Automation
The vehicle is capable of performing all driving functions under certain conditions. The driver may have the option to control the vehicle.
What It Means to You
An ADS on the vehicle can perform all driving tasks and monitor the driving environment — essentially, do all the driving — in certain circumstances. The human need not pay attention in those circumstances.
More From Cars.com:
- For Self-Driving Car Awareness, Most Americans on Autopilot
- Self-Driving Cars Are Coming, But When?
- Who’s Afraid of Self-Driving Cars? Judging by This Survey … Who’s Not?
- Self-Driving Car Crashes Have Even Millennials Scared of Autonomous Tech
- Self-Driving Cars Promise Safety, But Autonomy Alone Won’t Eliminate Crashes
Level 5: Full Automation
The vehicle is capable of performing all driving functions under all conditions. The driver may — or may not — have the option to control the vehicle.
What It Means to You
Sit back and enjoy the ride. An ADS on the vehicle can do all the driving in all circumstances. The human occupants are just passengers and need never be involved in driving.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.