How Does an Autonomous Car Work?

From Silicon Valley in the USA to bustling Beijing in China, self-driving cars, especially the ones driven without the assistance of a driver, are popping up everywhere and are considered to be the next big thing in the automobile industry.

- ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU

These self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles (AVs), use a combination of advanced sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and high-performance computing to navigate roads without human intervention. They rely on multiple technologies, including machine learning, computer vision, and real-time data processing, to perceive their surroundings, make decisions, and drive safely.

The automobile industry currently classifies six levels of driving automation ranging from Level 0 (fully manual) to Level 5 (fully autonomous). While the term self-driving is often used interchangeably with autonomous, there is a big difference between the two. A self-driving car can drive itself in some or even all situations, but a human passenger must always be present and ready to take control. Self-driving cars would fall under Level 3 (conditional driving automation) or Level 4 (high driving automation). They are subject to geofencing, unlike a fully autonomous Level 5 car that could go anywhere.