Honda brings level 3 range to production vehicles in Japan

The race towards a future where fully autonomous cars are an intense reality. Some businesses are more successful than others; Waymo commutes to some U.S. cities without a driver, while others, like Tesla, essentially do beta testers in their own cars. Honda is aiming for something in the middle, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

While Waymo’s Pilot Program vans operate at Level 4 and Tesla’s autopilot function is at Level 2, according to the definition of the Society of Automotive Engineers, Honda wants to be the first to bring level 3 range to production cars and make it mainstream. This is where the Traffic Jam Pilot system comes in. The system, which was recently certified for use on public roads in Japan, will be fitted on Honda Legend models from March 2021.

If it seems soon, that’s because it is. But what exactly is level 3 autonomy? According to the SAE, a level 3 system is capable of conditional autonomy. In the case of Honda, it is intended for use in highway traffic. An example of a system close to level 3 in functionality would be Super Cadillac Cruise, which allows its drivers to operate their vehicles hands-free, but uses a camera to monitor whether a driver is paying attention. Honda’s system should go further.

Other companies have tried to bring Level 3 technology on the market including Audi, but so far the technology has not been approved for use on American roads. It’s unclear when or even if Honda would bring this technology to the United States, but if it could do so and cut costs (which is likely, as we’re talking about Honda) the implications could be significant.

Honda did not immediately respond to Roadshow’s request for comment.

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