As of this Thursday, so-called “level 3” autonomous driving is authorized.

There are five graduation levels.

The third concerns vehicles whose proposed autonomy is partial.

The driver must remain vigilant because at any time, he must be able to take the wheel again if the conditions require it.

Beyond this criterion of great importance, it is necessary to respect other elements, details the site Les Echos.

Restricted to certain routes

The directives to be followed are specified in the decree of June 29, 2021. Autonomous driving is thus only authorized on very specific axes, namely lanes prohibited to pedestrians and cyclists and which have a central reservation.

Autonomous driving must also be unlocked above 60 km/h.

Concretely, this means that the new measure only concerns driving on an urban section or on a motorway in the event of traffic jams or severe slowdowns.

According to information from Numerama, the maximum speed above which level 3 autonomous driving cannot be activated should nevertheless be increased.

“This amendment should evolve from January 2023, to authorize automated driving on the motorway up to 130 km / h”, indicated Franck Cazenave, an expert author of a book on the subject.

Mercedes only approved brand

In any case, it is important to ensure that the vehicle you have is equipped with approved level 3 autonomous driving. For the moment, the only manufacturer meeting all the criteria is Mercedes, with its S-Class and EQS marketed in Germany since the end of 2021. Teslas are still only approved for level 2.

BMW, Hyundai, Stellantis or Volkswagen should soon offer vehicles that meet the required standards.

This authorization to no longer have your hands on the steering wheel has consequences in terms of responsibility.

In the event of an accident, it is the vehicle manufacturer who will be concerned, if however autonomous driving is activated under the conditions indicated by the decree.

Automotive

Tesla accused of lying about its self-driving features

Automotive

World premiere: A French department tries out autonomous driving… in the countryside!

  • Automotive

  • high tech

  • Autonomous car

  • Car