Rise Of The Machines: Understanding The Autonomy Levels Of Self-Driving Cars

Automakers are moving at a frenzied pace to add more and more intelligence to their vehicles. However, as cars get smarter and smarter consumers struggle to understand the latest innovations. To help eliminate some of the confusion, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International has developed a scale to describe the six different levels of automation for self-driving cars. These are the cars we all know and love. The driver actually steps on the gas to go faster, steps on the brake to slow down and uses the steering wheel to turn. Even if the driver is assisted by warning signals, this still is generally viewed as Level 0. Example: Your parent's station wagon For Level 1, the driver is still in control of the overall operation and safety of the vehicle.