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 Autonomous - Level 5
So are there six levels or just five, given that Level 0 naturally refers to a vehicle without any automation or driver assistance? Anyway, whatever the case, Level 5 seems to be assuming the possibility of being driven around.
And since the fully automated car has already managed to make its way to one's front door from anywhere on its own, it is safe to assume that it will take you to your workplace without requiring any intervention on your part.
This affects two groups of people. The one has little interest in driving the car herself, preferring to spend her time on more important activities or relaxing. This could also be used, for example, to
transport children, or people without a driving licence, or those who do not feel confident enough to drive – for example, in large cities – or no longer feel confident enough to do so.
It is not possible to draw a clear distinction between this group and the other one, who do indeed enjoy driving, but not at the moment, either because the traffic conditions are not good or because they feel they have their
hands full with other tasks. For these, the steering wheel, display and accelerator pedal must remain on board, whereas in the first group they could be removed. Let's see whether there will be two broadly distinct
categories of vehicles here, with particularly sporty models certainly falling into the second group.
Guaranteed Level 0
Right, and now we come to the levels that are likely to be more important in the near future, as we probably won’t be seeing the five any time soon. Although Level 1 is essentially already present in all new vehicles
, as ABS is fitted as standard in every one, and adaptive cruise control is probably available as an option too. Even compact-class cars are currently conquering Level 2. Here, for example, if the vehicle fails to stay in its
lane, the system actively intervenes with the steering wheel, assists with parking, and, in dangerous situations, also applies the emergency brakes.
Whilst the system for detecting obstacles and subsequently bringing the car to a complete stop isn’t quite up to scratch yet – and you certainly shouldn’t rely on it – features such as reversing into a parking space with a
trailer are already being marketed quite effectively by certain car manufacturers. It makes watching it a real pleasure, too. Key point at this level: the driver does not hand over
responsibility to any system for even a second, so they remain ready to brake at all times, for example.
It’s different at Level 3. It is only here that the time saved through semi-autonomous driving becomes a little more relevant. A truck driver could swivel the seat slightly to the side and attend to the next assignment. However,
the time he or she has to take the wheel – and thus assume responsibility again – is relatively short. If he or she fails to do so, an emergency stop is unavoidable. A typical situation would be a traffic jam in which the
vehicle is moving along, but only at speeds of up to, say, 60 km/h.
| There are plenty of opportunities for distraction. |
At Level 4, there is not really an emergency stop, because although there is still someone on board with a valid driving licence, they are free to carry out activities other than driving. He could also sleep, as that would
eventually count towards the standard driving hours for truck drivers. The truck then drives along various motorways, for example, and comes to a halt either safely in the hard shoulder in the event of a breakdown, or in a
parking lane after taking an exit.
Given the current state of the art, with the widespread introduction of Level 2, it is clear how far we still are from achieving a genuine reduction in driver workload, for example at Level 4. And yet this
book has a title that clearly targets Level 5. This is where things really get exciting. Let’s try to take a look into the future.
One thing must be clear: if you can be picked up at your front door, then the self-driving car must also be able to drive on its own. Just imagine this: a car comes towards you and there's nobody in it. It probably couldn't find a
parking space in the city centre, or was sent straight home after dropping his passenger off at work. Does autonomous driving actually result in less traffic, or perhaps even more?
In any case, it is clear that zones with only self-driving cars – which would actually make sense in city centres – will be difficult to set up. Just bear in mind that motorcycles, of all things, would then have to be excluded, for
what purpose would such an autonomously driven two-wheeler serve? There will also likely be plenty of drivers who absolutely refuse to let go of the steering wheel.
| Sound generator, actually designed for electric cars |
But back to the car, with no one inside, chugging along a country road all on its own. With two people positioned in front of it and one quickly positioned behind it, it should actually be easy to stop. A
back-up plan is hardly conceivable then, is it? So two straps are enough to load it onto a truck? Well, it can flash its hazard lights (see image above) to signal distress, but at least in s
Germany, such flashing is currently only permitted for about 15 seconds, though on a deserted country road, doing so for longer probably wouldn't be a problem.
Sure, you can track the path of a vehicle that might be angrily spinning its drive wheels while jacked up, but already on the top level of an underground parking garage, a signal like that is no longer transmitted with today's
radio technology, and Wi-Fi has far too short a range. The designers are showing us all kinds of car interiors without steering wheels, and no one seems to care about the surroundings or the safety of such a vehicle. After
all, Uber is already planning to introduce driverless taxis.
I'm just imagining a scene where a police officer pulls in such a vehicle like that: "Good afternoon, your driver's license and vehicle registration, please!" Or cars driving autonomously without passengers
are generally no longer stopped. That way, bank robbers in the trunk could more easily get past the police checkpoint.
Perhaps we can link the issue of driverless cars to the topic discussed in the previous chapter. What does a repair shop do when a driverless car suddenly drives in? By the way, in our experience, it's not that easy to find a
parking spot at the dealership, so it just ends up standing in the way.
So, how do you take over a car like that? Doesn't it actually have to be locked when it's driving around? So how does the call handling process work there? Probably with a camera in their
hand under the car and video contact with the owner. Is the car then sent 'back home', and is the bill charged at the same time?
Perhaps this simple example already illustrates the shift in thinking that autonomous driving entails. But there are even more extreme cases – here is an example from current practice: Due to an unfortunate series of
events, some young children have locked themselves in a car in the parking garage, and there's no easy way for them to get out. But instead of waiting half an hour for the ADAC, the parents let the window be smashed so
the children can be freed sooner.
| Admittedly, the picture is an exaggeration . . . |
So it might actually be counterproductive for the insurance company to pay for the damage as well. But this does little to prepare the children for a future in which they might find themselves stranded somewhere in the
middle of nowhere in a vehicle without a driver and have to wait for help. For the sake of argument, let's assume that the help system will definitely remain functional.
kfz-tech.de/YAu2
kfz-tech.de/YAu3
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