Honda to Mass-Produce Level 3 Autonomous Cars - 2024

Honda asserts it will be the initial car manufacturer to commercially produce vehicles equipped with self-governing features that adhere to SAE Level 3 criteria. The company intends to commence production and sales of a specific iteration of its Honda Legend premium sedan, incorporating completely certified automated driving technology, in Japan starting next March. Honda publicized this development through a press statement (as reported by Reuters), following the Japanese government’s endorsement of the company’s “Traffic Jam Pilot” autonomous system. This approval marks the first instance where drivers can legally divert their attention from the roadway while the system is active.

Honda’s existing Pro Pilot Assist serves as a precursor to this upcoming functionality; however, it operates at Level 2 on the SAE scale. This means that while it can automatically manage both speed and steering, drivers must remain prepared to resume manual control whenever the system necessitates it. SAE Level 3 represents the initial stage generally considered to constitute genuine autonomy – enabling a driver to completely relinquish control to the vehicle. Level 3 still necessitates the driver’s ability to regain control upon the system’s request, whereas Levels 4 and 5 do not carry this requirement.

Tesla has also introduced its “full self-driving” capability within its vehicles through a beta program that is progressively being extended to a wider range of drivers. However, some observers contend that, despite its designation, this feature does not represent a truly autonomous system and has not yet received official regulatory classification as such. Honda’s introduction of its Level 3 Legend in March 2021 will be closely monitored by both regulatory bodies and the general public globally, serving as one of the earliest real-world evaluations of a mass-produced, government-approved autonomous vehicle system.