Firms accelerate R&D for self-driving cars

By Riki Ozawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff WriterAutomated cars are classified into four levels based on how much the driver is involved in the operation of the accelerator, brakes and steering. The ranks range from Level 1 -- in which one of the operations is automated -- to Level 4 -- in which a car is fully autonomous and can operate without a human driver. Most domestic and overseas car manufacturers are at Level 2, with Tesla Motors Inc.'s Model S also in this category. Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and other major domestic carmakers have been putting work into the research and development process, aiming to market automated cars that can run on expressways by around 2020. The manufacturers are aiming to reach Level 3, in which a self-driving system mainly operates the car and the driver takes the necessary actions only in case of emergency, such as when the system malfunctions.