France has decided to take a step towards the defenders of autonomous driving. Indeed and from July 14, 2022, it will be possible to drive without hands on the roads of France, under certain conditions of course. We take stock.
As you may know, there are five levels of autonomous driving. The first level can be summarized as assisted driving, in particular via the presence of an ACC adaptive cruise control (with automatic maintenance of safety distances), or even the recognition of traffic signs. Emergency braking assistance is also a characteristic feature of this category.
Conversely, level 5 describes a particularly complex and advanced autonomous driving system, fully autonomous. In this situation, vehicles will be able to make long journeys without requiring the attention of a human driver. For now, some rare manufacturers claim to be able to offer level 3 systems (highly automated driving), or even level 4 (fully automated driving). This is the case of Tesla with the improved Autopilot and the FSD (Full Self Driving) for example.
In France, the democratization of this technology on the roads is hampered by law. For now, only the use of level 2 autonomous driving software is allowed. However, tests have already started, as in Toulouse where the first fully autonomous bus is running. However, things should pick up speed in the summer of 2022.
Also read: The Tesla Model 3 is no longer the best electric car on the market, according to a study
Level 3 autonomous driving will soon be authorized in France
On this date, several European countries, including France, planned to modify the Vienna Convention of 1968, a multilateral treaty that governs road traffic in many nations. Indeed, 53 signatory countries of the text have just voted definitively an amendment to article 34 of this convention, in order to authorize the use of level 3 autonomous driving under certain conditions:
- the vehicle will have to travel on a lane without pedestrians or cyclists nearby
- The lane in question must have a central separator between the two directions of traffic
- The speed of the vehicle must not exceed 60 km/h
In other words, activating its level 3 autonomous driving software will only be possible on congested highways. Note that for the moment, the only approved vehicles with level 3 autonomous driving are the Mercedes Class S and EQS. “The transition from level 2 to level 3 is technically the most important. The vehicle can automatically initiate overtaking and evasive maneuvers, accelerate and brake”, Volkswagen said in an official statement.
Source: Argus
