Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • login
  • HOME
  • News
    • News by Brand
    • Auto Shows
    • Canadians Abroad
    • Photo Galleries
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • Retail
    • Dealer Best Practices
    • Government Relations
    • Trade and Tariffs
    • Technology
    • Labour
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ferrari
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Fiat Chrysler
      • Jeep
      • Fiat
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Ram
    • Subaru
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
    • Volvo
    • VinFast
    • Toronto Auto Show
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
  • Video
  • Podcasts
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • 2022 Auto News Canada All-Stars
    • 2022 Canadians To Watch
    • Notable Champions of Diversity
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
    • Canada Congress
    • Retail Forum: Toronto
    • Leading Women Roundtables
    • Embracing Diversity Roundtable
    • Embracing Diversity Roundtable Volume 2
    • EVs Decoded
    • 2023 Best Dealerships To Work For nominations
  • Jobs & Classifieds
  • +MORE
    • IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
    • NEWSLETTERS
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • CLASSIFIEDS
    • PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
    • COMPANIES ON THE MOVE
    • WEBINARS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • CONTACT US
    • DIGITAL EDITION
    • PUBLISHING PARTNERS
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Blogs
Blogs
November 15, 2019 12:08 PM

A call for clarity on self-driving terminology

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    autonomous-main_i.jpg
    BLOOMBERG

    EDITOR'S NOTE: The following blog post originally appeared on our sister website autonews.com.

    Driverless or self-driving — autonomous or automated — automation or autonomy — these terms are often used interchangeably. That's regrettable because they don't all mean the same thing.

    Automation, for example, describes the presence of automatic equipment that's used as one part in an overall process. Autonomy, on the other hand, confers the idea that a system is governing itself and all actions. Self-driving implies that a vehicle is being driven without a human involved, while driverless might indicate no one or nothing is in control at all.

    Those terms are just the start. Add the likes of semi-autonomous, partially self-driving and driver-assist feature, and the language landscape becomes more cluttered. Throw in industry jargon such as "Level 2 Plus" and Elon Musk's special dictionary entries for "Autopilot," "feature complete" and "fully self driving," and this confounding mix is complete.

    It's time to clean up the mess.

    Using accurate language can be a matter of life or death. We've already seen multiple fatal crashes involving the use of Tesla's Autopilot, in which motorists treated a driver-assist feature as a self-driving system and let their attention and oversight wander from the road.

    Everyone from industry executives to journalists to car salespeople has a responsibility to get this right.

    Start with the simple fixes. Banish "partially self-driving" and "semi-autonomous" from our collective vocabulary. These are the vehicular equivalent of being a little bit pregnant. Either the system maintains responsibility for the driving operations or a human holds that responsibility. There can be no in between.

    Next, take a good look at the SAE Levels of Automation. Nowhere is there a definition for the "Level 2 Plus" notion that has become so commonplace across the industry over the past 18 months. It's an invention of those who want to convey the progress and sophistication of their driver-assist systems without actually accepting the responsibility that comes with higher levels of automation.

    Using the SAE levels themselves brings limitations. They make sense for insider industry discussions, but there's a real disconnect in attempting to use them as a springboard for education of broader consumer audiences. And NHTSA has done no favors with its "highly automated vehicle" grouping of Levels 3, 4 and 5.

    I like the remedy recently proposed by Waymo CEO John Krafcik.

    "If every time someone talked about a 'Level 2 system,' they just said, 'driver-assist system,' then it'd be so much easier," he said. "Maybe the definitional framework is wrong. ... If you need a driver's license, then you shouldn't call it fully self-driving. If you need a driver's license, call it a driver-assist."

    That seems like the right way to draw a firm line between driver-assist and self-driving technology.

    If a human driver's license is needed for legal vehicle operations, if a human has responsibility for either control or oversight of a system, if a human must be available to accept a handoff from a system, then it's a driver-assist feature. On the other hand, if a vehicle can complete a journey from point A to point B without any role for humans, then it's afforded the terminology of self-driving system.

    Most importantly, we need to guard against conflating the two.

    The language landscape is crowded and jargon-riddled right now. It may only get worse as companies add their brand-specific names to the mix. But there is good news: We're still in the early days. There's still time to get this right.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Do automakers prioritize U.S. inventory over Canadian stock?
    Recommended for You
    Do automakers prioritize U.S. inventory over Canadian stock?
    Do automakers prioritize U.S. inventory over Canadian stock?
    BrightDrop.jpg
    Big questions remain when it comes to GM's $1-billion CAMI plant
    Bosch_information_domain_computer web.jpg
    Bosch, Continental battle to supply the brain of the connected car
    greta-cutulenco-acerta-400x400
    Sponsored Content: Data Will Drive Success in EV Manufacturing
    Digital Edition
    Sept 2023 Issue
    View latest issue
    See our archive
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up today for our Weekly Newsletter, Daily Newsletter and Breaking News Alerts. We'll deliver the news you need to know straight to your inbox.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Subscribe Now

    An Automotive News Canada subscription includes print issues delivered to your doorstep and digitally to your inbox – plus unlimited, 24/7 access to our website.

    Subscribe Now
    Connect With Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Our Mission

    The Automotive News Canada mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in Canada.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Ave
    Detroit MI 48207

    1-877-812-1257

    Email Us

    ISSN 2475-5001 (print)
    ISSN 2475-501X (online)

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • Advertise with Us
    • Reprints
    • Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Canada
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
    • News
      • News by Brand
        • Aston Martin
        • BMW
          • Mini
          • Rolls Royce
        • Daimler
          • Mercedes Benz
          • Smart
        • Ferrari
        • Ford
          • Lincoln
        • General Motors
          • Buick
          • Cadillac
          • Chevrolet
          • GMC
        • Honda
          • Acura
        • Hyundai
          • Kia
        • Mazda
        • Mitsubishi
        • Nissan
          • Infiniti
        • Stellantis
          • Alfa Romeo
          • Chrysler
          • Dodge
          • Fiat Chrysler
          • Jeep
          • Fiat
          • Lancia
          • Maserati
          • Ram
        • Subaru
        • Tata
          • Jaguar
          • Land Rover
        • Tesla
        • Toyota
          • Lexus
        • Volkswagen
          • Audi
          • Bentley
          • Bugatti
          • Lamborghini
          • Porsche
        • Volvo
        • VinFast
      • Auto Shows
        • Toronto Auto Show
      • Canadians Abroad
      • Photo Galleries
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • Retail
      • Dealer Best Practices
      • Government Relations
      • Trade and Tariffs
      • Technology
      • Labour
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • EVENTS & AWARDS
      • 2022 Auto News Canada All-Stars
      • 2022 Canadians To Watch
      • Notable Champions of Diversity
      • Best Dealerships To Work For
        • 2023 Best Dealerships To Work For nominations
      • Canada Congress
      • Retail Forum: Toronto
      • Leading Women Roundtables
      • Embracing Diversity Roundtable
      • Embracing Diversity Roundtable Volume 2
      • EVs Decoded
    • Jobs & Classifieds
    • +MORE
      • IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
      • NEWSLETTERS
      • SUBSCRIBE
      • CLASSIFIEDS
      • PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
      • COMPANIES ON THE MOVE
      • WEBINARS
      • ADVERTISE WITH US
      • CONTACT US
      • DIGITAL EDITION
      • PUBLISHING PARTNERS