Some people enjoy the pleasure of driving, but for others, driving is a laborious task. With the advancement of autonomous driving technology, not only can the pressure on drivers be minimized to the greatest extent possible, but travel can also be made safer by reducing human errors. So, what are the advances in autonomous driving technology? What changes will future autonomous driving technology bring to transportation? Many cars today are equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that can partially achieve automated driving. Lane keeping assist is a common ADAS function that gently guides the vehicle back into the lane when it detects a deviation from the lane. The Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system can automatically apply the brakes when it detects an imminent rear end collision with the vehicle ahead. For decades, automobile manufacturers have continuously integrated various ADAS into vehicles. Nowadays, about 90% of new cars in the United States are equipped with at least AEB system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced in April this year that from September 2029, this proportion will increase to 100%, and all new passenger cars and light trucks will come standard with the AEB system. However, two new studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States have shown that using ADAS systems can reduce drivers' attention and alertness, so more protective measures are needed to keep drivers focused while driving. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), also known as Dynamic Cruise Control or Intelligent Cruise Control, is another increasingly common automated driving feature. Over 20 years ago, ACC was introduced into luxury car models with the aim of preventing rear end collisions between vehicles with cruise control enabled and the preceding vehicle. Early ACC systems were not always able to prevent collisions when the distance between two vehicles rapidly shortened (such as when the preceding vehicle suddenly braked). The current ACC system is more advanced, not only capable of autonomous deceleration and braking, but also able to re accelerate to the set cruise control speed after deceleration, and some can even automatically decelerate when the camera detects that the vehicle is about to turn. The ACC system may be able to reduce some of the troubles in controlling vehicle speed, but its impact on safety is controversial. A study by IIHS suggests that this feature may encourage drivers to set higher cruise control speeds. Intelligent assisted parking is not an easy task to drive into a narrow parking space. In order to alleviate the anxiety of car owners, Toyota began selling Prius hybrid vehicles equipped with intelligent parking assist system in Japan in 2003. The system uses cameras and onboard computers to drive vehicles into parking spaces. Nowadays, many new cars offer automatic parking as an additional feature, and some models even come standard with it. Automatic Valet Parking (AVP) is the next evolutionary stage of intelligent parking technology. After the driver arrives at the destination and gets off the car, this system will automatically drive the vehicle into an empty parking space. When preparing to leave, people only need to summon the vehicle through the application or car key, and it will automatically drive out of the parking space and reach the driver's side. Multiple car manufacturers are developing AVP technology. In 2019, Mercedes Benz collaborated with Bosch to test the complete AVP function at Stuttgart Airport in Germany. This feature utilizes sensors installed in airport parking lots to guide vehicles into designated parking spaces. Bosch stated in 2022 that it hopes to equip hundreds of parking garages with sensors that support automatic parking in the coming years. L3 level automatic driving In 2014, the Society of Automotive Engineers released the six level classification system of auto drive system as the industry standard to measure the progress of automatic driving technology. Vehicles equipped with Level 0 systems do not have any autonomous driving capabilities, while vehicles equipped with Level 5 systems can achieve fully autonomous driving under all conditions. The vehicle is between level 1 and level 2, which means that some aspects of driving have been automated, but the driver must be ready to take over the vehicle at any time. Tesla's' fully autonomous driving (supervised) 'feature belongs to the Level 2 system. It can autonomously drive vehicles on highways, perform parallel parking, and even guide vehicles on city streets, but drivers need to maintain attention to road conditions. At Level 3, when the auto drive system is enabled, the driver will no longer have to concentrate on driving and can even do other things. In 2023, Nevada approved Mercedes Benz's DRIVE PILOT system, marking the first time in the United States that a Level 3 system has been allowed. Afterwards, the state of California also approved the use of this system on public highways. The company is currently working to obtain approval for the DRIVE PILOT system in more locations and at higher speeds. In addition, BMW's Personal Pilot L3 is very similar to DRIVE PILOT. The system can be activated in dark environments and has been approved in Germany; In June 2024, Ford CEO Jim Farley announced that the company will soon introduce L3 level autonomous driving technology to consumers in the coming years; Mercedes Benz has stated that it expects to achieve L4 level autonomous driving by 2030. (New Society)