Last year, I wrote a detailed article on the top 21 self-driving car companies globally. You may want to read: 21 Top Self-Driving Car Companies Racing to Autonomous Future.
As a technology optimist, I can confidently predict that 2022 will be the year of self-driving technology. Every day, we are getting closer to the driverless experience.
In this article, I’ll discuss the top self-driving technology companies to keep an eye on but bear in mind that not all of these vehicles will be available in the United States. That is, once again, a rule and regulation issue.
Let’s dive into the exploring part.
1- Tesla
As we all know, Elon Musk always makes huge promises about new technology, last year; he vowed to produce a fully driverless Tesla automobile in only two years.
The company is already successful in partial self-driving technology — autopilot. Tesla’s spoken person says that the company has almost a fully functional self-driving system, but the drivers are facing a hard time comprehending the auto-pilot system.
Why?
People are getting into crashes because of playing games while the autopilot is in progress. The National Safety Administrator is looking at the Autopilot Level 2 crashes in detail. The investigation will look into Tesla crashes with parked cars.
765,000 Tesla Models Y, 3, S, and X are each under formal federal investigation. — CNET
People believe that because there have been so many crashes, Tesla will be able to eliminate all of the problems and reach Level 4 autonomous vehicles by the end of 2022.
What is a Level-4 self-driving vehicle?
Level 4 features allow the vehicle to drive itself, and the vehicle’s driver is never required to take control. Local driverless taxis might have such systems installed, and these cars would not even have pedals or steering wheels.
2-Audi
Audi waited for a long time for the regulatory decision to make its Traffic Jam Pilot technology for its customers. Traffic Jam works pretty much on a similar principle, max speed 37.2 mph (60kmh).
The Traffic Jam technology will allow the driver to relax behind the wheel while staying cautious about taking over the control at any time.
We can anticipate getting Audi Level-3 Traffic Jam Pilot technology in mid-2022. However, the company did not announce any plan to launch the Level-3 autonomous vehicle in the US.
3-Mercedez-Benz
Mercedez is known to have the best safety features in the industry. No matter which Mercedez model you are driving, you can have peace of mind that it’s equipped with the newest safety technology.
First Mercedez Level-3 vehicle S-class will be available in 2022. You can expect a Level-3 car on a mass production from Mercedez at the end of 2022. The Mercedez autonomous technology is known as “drive pilot.”
Level-3 is a huge stepping stone because it will allow the driver to check things while the car is moving. However, you should be conscious of taking over the car control as soon as the Drive Pilot detects a problem.
The company is testing the technology at a massive scale in the US and China, but it still has plenty of limitations to emerge for the public in the US.
It will stay at a max speed of 37.2 mph (60kmh). You should also keep in mind that the technology is available for only the German market at the moment.
4-BMW
BMW, one of my favorite car brands, will also launch Level-3 autonomous technology in the new seven series in 2022.
However, because of regulatory constraints, the Level-3 autonomous driver may not be available in the United States until 2022.
I also compiled a list of self-driving technology stories based on economic impact, dangers, pros & cons, regulations, and so on. Here is the list to explore further.
5- Honda
Honda launches SENSING Elite safety system with Level 3 automated driving features in Japan. It’s pretty much similar to the Audi Traffic Jam Pilot system.
The system includes a hands-off and emergency stop. However, the driver has to stay alert to take over the control at any time.
Honda took a step ahead and said the driver could watch Tv while the system was active, but the driver could not take a nap. Again, its Level-3 means a driver has to control the system wants.
What will happen if the driver doesn’t take over the control of the Level-3 vehicle?
In most cases, the technology will slow down the vehicle if the driver does not control it. The Level-3 system will also pull the vehicle on the side of the road and activate the hazard flashers.
6-Volvo
Volvo, the Swedish company, is ahead in the race to launch Level-4 this year. Volvo will be launching level-4 in 2022, then eventually Level-5, a fully automated car, in the next couple of years.
Volvo had collected a lot of data to learn since 2016 when they launched a semi-autonomous vehicle to drive around Stockhome (Swedish capital) to test its self-driving technology.
We will not require hands on the steering wheel, nor will we require eyes on the road. — Henrik Green, Chief Product Officer
Volvo is apart from self-driving technology competitors, who are working on Robotaxis rather than personal ownership. Volvo’s Ride Pilot system is pretty advanced compared to competitors because it doesn’t need hands-on steering or even eyes on the road.
Taking a nap requires a wake-up time, so let’s see how far and when we can get there. You need to be able to assume control at a particular time and take back the driving responsibility. Volvo
Conclusion
We still have considerable challenges to accomplish in the next few years to see a fully autonomous car. We have to wait to get the Level-5 self-driving vehicles for a few years.
As you can see, the technology maybe not be the main issue here, but the communication across different brands or which Level your cars are equipped.
