theweeklydriver.com
Photo: Rivian Newsroom
Photo: Rivian Newsroom
Rivian’s move comes as competition in the autonomous driving space intensifies. The company’s current driver-assist features, part of the Rivian Autonomy Platform, provide alerts and can perform evasive maneuvers but do not offer full vehicle control.
Photo: Rivian Newsroom
Rivian’s autonomous driving technology is part of a broader industry trend towards self-driving vehicles. The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) defines six levels of driving automation, from Level 0 (no automation) to Level 5 (full automation).
Photo: Rivian Newsroom
Level 1 represents the lowest level of automation. Vehicles at this level have a single automated aspect that assists the driver. This can include features like adaptive cruise control or lane-keeping assistance, but not both simultaneously.
Photo: Rivian Newsroom
Level 2 systems, often referred to as “hands-free” or “driver assist” technologies, can control both steering and acceleration/deceleration but require constant driver supervision. Examples include GM’s Super Cruise, Ford’s BlueCruise, and Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature.
Level 3 systems, sometimes called “eyes-off” technology, allow drivers to divert their attention from driving tasks but must be ready to intervene when requested. This level of autonomy is considered challenging due to the complexities of safely transferring control back to a potentially distracted driver.
Photo: Rivian Newsroom
Photo: Rivian Newsroom