What Sensors Are There on Autonomous Vehicles?

Autonomous driving is a fast-developing technology, and it is also a controversial topic. At one extreme, people believe that self-driving cars will ensure a better future by increasing road safety, reducing infrastructure costs, and enhancing the ability of children, the elderly, and the disabled to take care of themselves. At the other extreme, many people are afraid of car hacking, the risk of fatal car accidents, and the loss of driving-related jobs. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 54% of adults are worried about the development of autonomous vehicles, and only 40% of respondents are optimistic about the potential development of auto automation. Research has also shown that people have very different views and attitudes towards autonomous vehicles.

There is no doubt that autonomous driving is a complex and controversial technology. To understand the safety of self-driving cars, it is important to figure out how they work, and what type of self-driving vehicle sensors can help them drive, and identify objects on the road to prevent car accidents. But first, let’s take a look at the different levels of autonomous vehicles.

5 levels of driving automation

From driver assistance to fully automatic, autonomous vehicles have five recognized levels. They were developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and vary according to the degree of human involvement in driving. There are 6 levels in their classification, but level 0 means that there is no automation, and the vehicle is completely controlled by humans.

L1: Driver assistance

The human driver is responsible for all car operation tasks, including acceleration, steering, braking, and monitoring the surrounding environment. There is a driving assistance system in the car that can help to steer or to accelerate, but the two cannot be done at the same time, such as common cruise control, automatic parking, etc.

L2: Partial automation

At this level, the car can assist both steering and acceleration, while the driver is still responsible for most safety-critical functions and environmental monitoring. Currently, Level 2 autonomous vehicles are the most common on the road.

L3: Conditional automation

Starting from level 3, the car itself uses self-driving vehicle sensors to monitor the environment and perform other dynamic driving tasks, such as braking. If a system failure or other unexpected situation occurs, you must be prepared for manual intervention.

L4: Highly automated

Level 4 means a high degree of automation, even in extreme cases, the car can complete the entire trip without driver intervention. However, there are some restrictions: the driver can switch the vehicle to this mode only when the system detects that the traffic is safe and there is no traffic jam.

L5: Fully automated

Currently, fully automated cars do not yet exist, but automakers are working hard to achieve Level 5 autonomous driving, in which the driver only needs to specify the destination, and the vehicle will be fully responsible for all driving modes. Therefore, level 5 cars do not have manual controls such as steering wheels or pedals.