What Vehicle Automation Means to SAE International
Unmanned and automated vehicles have dominated conversation in the transportation mobility sector for over a decade as manufacturers have invested heavily in researching technology around self-driving and driving-assistance vehicle systems. But as research has developed, so too have questions surrounding this technology, and a demand for standardization of language and practices around vehicle automation has grown.
In 2014, SAE initially launched the SAE Levels of Driving Automation (SAE J3016), which has since become the industry’s most-cited source for driving automation. With a taxonomy for SAE’s six levels of driving automation, SAE J3016 defines the levels from Level 0 (no driving automation) to Level 5 (full driving automation) in the context of motor vehicles and their operation on the roadways. As technology develops, so too have the Levels of Driving Automation, and SAE continues to update classifications and define or clarify new concepts as more information emerges.
While fully automated vehicles are not currently on the road, we see the many potential benefits of a fully automated future that increases independent mobility for seniors and people with disabilities as well as potentially limiting crashes and making roads safer for all who travel on them.
