ABSTRACT
Although it will be years before almost all vehicles will be Level 2 and above, many people are simply unaware of the extraordinary efforts that are going into making automated, connected, and intelligent vehicles (ACIV) a reality. Chapter 2 provides readers with a window into the history of and current efforts centered around the development and deployment of ACIVs. In addition, detailed discussions are provided that focus on the advent of active safety systems, the different technological advances that have been necessary in order for automated driving to become a reality, the business case for the development and deployment of commercial fleets, and the direction in which the vehicle industry is heading in terms of the levels of automation, both for passenger cars and for commercial vehicles. So where are the things headed? Very briefly, it is argued in this chapter that the car industry is pursuing a dual approach: shifting to a new “mobility as a service” model based on highly automated Level 4 fleet operations (robo-taxis) while bringing low-level automation gradually to mass-market cars (such as Level 2 highway operations with supervised lane changes, or Level 3 Traffic Jam Pilots fully driving the vehicle in low-speed traffic). However, because more capable Level 3 operations involve a shared responsibility between the vehicle and the driver yet allow the driver to be out of the loop (neither eyes on the road nor hands on the wheel), the automobile industry was initially highly concerned about introducing these types of products. Auto original equipment manufacturers decided initially to altogether skip over Level 3 and to offer only Level 4 systems where the driver is out of the control loop to reduce risk. However, given the time it will take to develop Level 4 mass-market vehicles (building on new design approaches and extensive safety validation processes developed for fleet operations), Level 3 systems are now coming to market, restricted to specific operating conditions. The public will first experience Level 4 automation by riding in a robo-taxi, receiving robo-deliveries, or driving beside a robo-taxi or driverless truck. The business case is very strong, attracting extensive investment and spawning many new startup companies. In general, these types of automated fleet operations will lead the way in transforming society.
