In the world of self-driving cars, Level 3 autonomy is the next big step in a six-level scheme climaxing with cars requiring no human input beyond telling the operating system’s AI assistant a destination. Yep, despite all the overpromising and excitement surrounding cars that drive themselves, which has stirred the public’s imagination for the last 15-plus years, we are only now passing the halfway point on SAE International’s spectrum of autonomy levels. The journey to a future free of steering wheels and pedals is far from over.
Here, if buying a car, we will explain what Level 3 means, what it will do, and how it will change the automotive and driving landscapes. We’ve provided jump links if you want to skip ahead.
A Level 3 car on SAE International’s spectrum can drive itself under limited conditions, such as on highways or in stop-and-go traffic, without driver input. In other words, under approved conditions, the self-driving system will steer, brake, accelerate, change lanes, and negotiate curves, all while following a route. The driver can even take his or her eyes off the road to read or watch a movie on the infotainment display. However, the driver must still be prepared to retake control of the vehicle in case of an emergency.
Level 2 systems, like Tesla’s current Autopilot, Ford’s BlueCruise, and GM’s Super Cruise, allow drivers to remove their hands from the wheel under certain conditions but still require eyes on the road. A Level 3 system not only allows hands-free driving under certain conditions but is eyes-free, as well. In other words, when the Level 3 system is engaged, the driver’s role is as a backstop rather than as a monitor.
RELATED: Self-Driving Cars: Everything You Need To Know
As technology (and government oversight) evolves through the defined stages of driving autonomy, each stage on the way to full autonomy represents a compromise with benefits and drawbacks.
Although several carmakers are on the brink of releasing models with Level 3 systems, only Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Honda currently have production models with the technology on the road, all with limited availability.
Obviously, developing the required technology is the initial hurdle carmakers face in democratizing Level 3 systems. However, other barriers are also slowing things down.
If you follow driverless car trends, you may already know that today’s more advanced Level 2 systems like Super Cruise, BlueCruise, and many others, are operationally restricted to certain approved roads. Moreover, those roads vary from system to system. One may be approved for 250,000 miles of roads while another can operate on 500,000 miles of roads. Why? It’s because each individual state has its own requirements and approval process for allowing self-driving systems to operate. Level 3 systems face the same approval issues.
There is still much to sort out when it comes to who is at fault in a crash involving self-driving technology. To date, this hasn’t been a huge issue because Levels 0-2 autonomy still have the driver firmly in control and in charge of the vehicle. However, with Level 3 and going forward, engaging the self-driving system means the driver won’t always be totally responsible for controlling the vehicle. In fact, Levels 4 and 5 will operate with little or no human intervention. Consequently, laws and regulations must be in place to determine liability in a crash. Is it the vehicle owner, the vehicle manufacturer, the source of the driverless technology, or some other entity to which a trial lawyer can assign blame that will shoulder responsibility? Each state must wrestle with these questions.
Who can afford all this technology? Sure, costs will drift down thanks to economy of scale as driverless technology becomes more popular and widespread, but how long will that take? According to Cox Automotive (Kelley Blue Book’s parent company), 2024 closed out with the average price of a new car in December at a whopping $49,740. Each new piece of technology carmakers introduce into a model raises its price.
Even if the Level 3 software is activated by optional subscription, vehicles will still require the hardware allowing the software to work built into the vehicles. Cha-ching! Moreover, there are over 290 million cars in service in the United States with an average age of 12.6 years. Even if cars with a Level 3 (or Levels 4 and 5) system were affordable for the average American, that’s a lot of inventory to turn over.
There are ample hurdles to overcome before Level 3 finds an audience. The lack of accessible roadways, bureaucratic snarls, sorting out liability issues, and cost will conspire to slow the public’s embrace of this stage of autonomy. As with any technology leap, in the beginning, Level 3 will attract some well-heeled, technology-curious early adopters. However, because at some future time the industry will arrive at Level 5, Level 3 will eventually gain traction.
Tesla, GM, Ford, and others are already knocking on the door. Volvo has promised Level 3 availability on its 2025 EX90. Ford CEO Jim Farley recently predicted that Ford would offer Level 3 in some 2026 models, while Rivian has also named 2026 as its Level 3 launch date.
