Stellantis, which counts Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler among its portfolio of automobile brands, says its Level 3 automated driving tech is ready to take over the wheel and let you take your eyes off the road safely.
However, it's not launching these features just yet.
The automotive group's STLA AutoDrive 1.0 assistive system is said to be capable of automated driving at the push of a button, up to speeds of 37 mph (60 km/h) in traffic and on highways given 'certain conditions.' The idea is to free you up to comfortably use the car's infotainment screen, talk to co-passengers, and catch up on books or videos on long journeys and commutes.
That means that it will steer, accelerate and brake, and maintain safe distances from other cars autonomously. AutoDrive will also enable adaptive cruise control and lane centering at higher speeds, provided you're focused on the road ahead.
Stellantis says the system will work precisely at night and in light rain, and will even automatically clean your car's suite of sensors when needed.
Since it's a cloud-connected service, AutoDrive can receive updates to improve its capabilities, including functioning at speeds up to 59 mph (95 km/h), and tackling off-road routes.
A Stellantis spokesperson told The Verge it's not going live with these features right away: "... the current market for Level 3 autonomous driving is very limited. We have made the strategic decision not to launch it at this time. Once the market opens up and becomes more receptive, we will move forward with introducing this advanced technology.”
Level 3, or 'hands-off, eyes-off' autonomy is tricky because it requires specific driving conditions to be met before it can be activated, and also requires human drivers to be able to take the wheel at a moment's notice.
That's both a technological challenge for automakers, and a difficult standard for regulatory authorities to sign off on.
That said, it's kinda-sorta out there already. Mercedes-Benz was the first to launch a SAE Level 3 system in commercial vehicles in Europe and the US, with its EQS fastback EV and ICE S-Class sedan back in 2023.
Honda, Ford, GM, Volvo, Sony, Kia, and Xpeng also have Level 3 systems in the wings. We'll have to wait and see which models Stellantis decides to deploy its tech in when the winds are favorable.
Source: Stellantis
