Level 3 Autonomy in a Car Quick Facts
- Level 3 systems allow drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel and eyes from the road under certain conditions.
- Legal issues, state regulations, and added costs are the biggest impediments to widespread Level 3 usage.
- Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot is the first Level 3 capability available on models in the US.
In the world of self-driving cars, Level 3 autonomy is the next big step in a six-level scheme climaxing with cars requiring no human input beyond telling the operating system’s AI assistant a destination. Yep, despite all the overpromising and excitement surrounding cars that drive themselves, which has stirred the public’s imagination for the last 15-plus years, we are only now passing the halfway point on SAE International’s spectrum of autonomy levels. The journey to a future free of steering wheels and pedals is far from over.
Here, if buying a car, we will explain what Level 3 means, what it will do, and how it will change the automotive and driving landscapes. We’ve provided jump links if you want to skip ahead.
What is Level 3 Autonomy?
A Level 3 car on SAE International’s spectrum can drive itself under limited conditions, such as on highways or in stop-and-go traffic, without driver input. In other words, under approved conditions, the self-driving system will steer, brake, accelerate, change lanes, and negotiate curves, all while following a route. The driver can even take his or her eyes off the road to read or watch a movie on the infotainment display. However, the driver must still be prepared to retake control of the vehicle in case of an emergency.
Level 3 vs. Level 2 Autonomy
Level 2 systems, like Tesla’s current Autopilot, Ford’s BlueCruise, and GM’s Super Cruise, allow drivers to remove their hands from the wheel under certain conditions but still require eyes on the road. A Level 3 system not only allows hands-free driving under certain conditions but is eyes-free, as well. In other words, when the Level 3 system is engaged, the driver’s role is as a backstop rather than as a monitor.
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The Good and the Bad of Level 3 Autonomy
As technology (and government oversight) evolves through the defined stages of driving autonomy, each stage on the way to full autonomy represents a compromise with benefits and drawbacks.
What Are the Benefits of Level 3 Autonomy?
- Reduced driver fatigue and stress: Being able to somewhat disengage from the vehicle’s operation on open highways and in stop-and-go traffic allows drivers to relax and re-energize.
- Enhanced crash avoidance: Computers can react and process more quickly than the human brain, especially when a driver’s senses are dulled by long periods of driving. Moreover, Level 3 has multiple built-in backups to detect and avoid danger. Therefore, when engaged, a Level 3 system will theoretically respond more quickly to recognized danger developing around the vehicle.
- Time efficiencies: Being able to organize your notes for today’s 10 a.m. presentation or catch up on the latest financial news while commuting to work would be a huge time saver, right? How about being able to answer your emails and texts, or post photos of passing scenery to your friends while rolling along Old Route 66? When engaged, Level 3 autonomy will allow you to get stuff done.
What Are the Drawbacks of Level 3 Autonomy?
- Driver liability: The weak link in Level 3 autonomy, like Level 2, is an undisciplined or totally disengaged human partner. For Level 2 to operate safely, drivers must remain focused on the road and the traffic around them. At Level 3, drivers don’t need to focus on the road, but they do need to remain sufficiently alert to respond to the Level 3 system calling them to quickly take back full control of the vehicle. A napping human is not a Level 3 reliable partner.
- Control handoff: Although this sounds suspiciously like driver liability, swapping control of the vehicle between the human driver and the Level 3 system renders Level 3 the most dangerous of the SAE International autonomy levels. As a species, humans can be irresponsible and sometimes lazy. Level 3 demands drivers remain alert and mentally prepared to retake control at a moment’s notice. Every second counts in emergency situations; therefore, the time it takes for the driver to respond to an alert to retake control could prove fatal. There have been several reported accidents caused by humans mismanaging a Level 2 system because they placed too much confidence in its capabilities. Level 3 will initiate even more unfounded confidence in humans always on the hunt to make things easier.
- Limited operational conditions: A Level 3 system can only safely operate under very specific conditions, such as clear, open highways, stop-and-go traffic, and fairly decent weather. Also, construction zones have proven to be problematic.
- Maximum speed ceilings: In the early going, at least, a few carmakers will limit the maximum speed at which their Level 3 systems will operate. For example, the BMW system — not currently available in the U.S. — has a 37 mph maximum speed limit while the Mercedes-Benz system is restricted to 40 mph or less.
- Technology shortfalls: In the current technology ecosystem, things work perfectly until they don’t. If that wasn’t the case, the term “reboot” probably wouldn’t be in our vocabulary. Because Level 3 will primarily rely on cameras and various sensors to monitor traffic, a camera or sensor compromised by weather conditions or some electrical failure could spell disaster. Moreover, AI not only responds to programming but also to learned behaviors. However, there is always the possibility it will be faced with something completely unfamiliar like a child dashing into traffic from between two parked cars or some other unprogrammed scenario.
Which Carmakers Have Functional Level 3 Systems in 2025?
Although several carmakers are on the brink of releasing models with Level 3 systems, only Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Honda currently have production models with the technology on the road, all with limited availability.
- Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot: California and Nevada are currently the only states with roads approved for the Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot. For 2025, only the EQS and S-Class offer Level 3 and then it’s by subscription.
- BMW Personal Pilot L3: The 2025 7-Series can be ordered with the Personal Pilot L3, a low-speed Level 3 system currently available only in Germany.
- Honda Sensing Elite: This is the Level 3 system in the Honda Legend, which has been on Japanese roads since 2021.
What Is Holding Up Widespread Level 3 Adoption in the U.S.?
Obviously, developing the required technology is the initial hurdle carmakers face in democratizing Level 3 systems. However, other barriers are also slowing things down.
Government Approval
If you follow driverless car trends, you may already know that today’s more advanced Level 2 systems like Super Cruise, BlueCruise, and many others, are operationally restricted to certain approved roads. Moreover, those roads vary from system to system. One may be approved for 250,000 miles of roads while another can operate on 500,000 miles of roads. Why? It’s because each individual state has its own requirements and approval process for allowing self-driving systems to operate. Level 3 systems face the same approval issues.
Assigning Insurance Liability
There is still much to sort out when it comes to who is at fault in a crash involving self-driving technology. To date, this hasn’t been a huge issue because Levels 0-2 autonomy still have the driver firmly in control and in charge of the vehicle. However, with Level 3 and going forward, engaging the self-driving system means the driver won’t always be totally responsible for controlling the vehicle. In fact, Levels 4 and 5 will operate with little or no human intervention. Consequently, laws and regulations must be in place to determine liability in a crash. Is it the vehicle owner, the vehicle manufacturer, the source of the driverless technology, or some other entity to which a trial lawyer can assign blame that will shoulder responsibility? Each state must wrestle with these questions.
Budget-Busting Costs
Who can afford all this technology? Sure, costs will drift down thanks to economy of scale as driverless technology becomes more popular and widespread, but how long will that take? According to Cox Automotive (Kelley Blue Book’s parent company), 2024 closed out with the average price of a new car in December at a whopping $49,740. Each new piece of technology carmakers introduce into a model raises its price.
Even if the Level 3 software is activated by optional subscription, vehicles will still require the hardware allowing the software to work built into the vehicles. Cha-ching! Moreover, there are over 290 million cars in service in the United States with an average age of 12.6 years. Even if cars with a Level 3 (or Levels 4 and 5) system were affordable for the average American, that’s a lot of inventory to turn over.
What is the Future of Level 3 Autonomy?
There are ample hurdles to overcome before Level 3 finds an audience. The lack of accessible roadways, bureaucratic snarls, sorting out liability issues, and cost will conspire to slow the public’s embrace of this stage of autonomy. As with any technology leap, in the beginning, Level 3 will attract some well-heeled, technology-curious early adopters. However, because at some future time the industry will arrive at Level 5, Level 3 will eventually gain traction.
Tesla, GM, Ford, and others are already knocking on the door. Volvo has promised Level 3 availability on its 2025 EX90. Ford CEO Jim Farley recently predicted that Ford would offer Level 3 in some 2026 models, while Rivian has also named 2026 as its Level 3 launch date.