Skip to main content

Car OEMs target 2021 for rollout of SAE Levels 4 and 5 of autonomous driving

New OEM smart mobility divisions, growing safety concerns relating to semi-autonomous driving, and recognition by national governments of the environmental and societal advantages of driverless vehicles will accelerate the deployment of more autonomous forms of driving, according to ABI Research. Its report, The Market Potential for Semi-Autonomous Driving, expects that semi-autonomous systems will continue to dominate the market over the next decade, with SAE level 2 and 3 systems accounting for 86 per
November 23, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
New OEM smart mobility divisions, growing safety concerns relating to semi-autonomous driving, and recognition by national governments of the environmental and societal advantages of driverless vehicles will accelerate the deployment of more autonomous forms of driving, according to 5725 ABI Research.

Its report, The Market Potential for Semi-Autonomous Driving, expects that semi-autonomous systems will continue to dominate the market over the next decade, with SAE level 2 and 3 systems accounting for 86 per cent of autonomous vehicles shipping in 2026. Higher levels of autonomy will gain traction quickly, representing just under one-third of autonomous vehicles shipping in 2030.

James Hodgson, industry analyst at ABI Research believes driverless cars will transform the way mobility is consumed, bringing environmental, societal and convenience advantages to the end user. It also represents a fundamental disruption to the business model that dominated the automotive market for almost one century. OEMs have much to gain in pursuing semi-autonomous operation, maintaining the importance of the driving experience.

However, recent announcements from 1731 BMW, 278 Ford, 2453 Renault-838 Nissan, and 8534 Tesla signal that OEMs are not only looking to introduce higher levels of autonomy by 2021, but are also actively planning to transition from vehicle sellers to mobility providers.

Both Ford and Renault-Nissan launched smart mobility divisions to build on the existing trend of OEM/rideshare partnerships and investments. The divisions also provide a platform for these brands to research and implement autonomous and connected technologies.

Meanwhile, the recently announced Tesla Network details how the brand intends to facilitate peer-to-peer autonomous car sharing, and how participation will impact consumer car ownership costs. ABI Research finds Tesla’s decision to withdraw the level 2 Autopilot system in favour of Enhanced Autopilot and eventually deep learning-based autonomous functionality, consistent with SAE level 4, or even level 5, to be the most concrete example of the shift in industry attitudes toward low level semi-autonomous driving.

“The spread of low-speed traffic jam assist systems to more of the mass market, in tandem with the increasing combination of longitudinal and lateral assistance on highways, will see semi-autonomous vehicles retaining their dominant market share for some years,” concludes Hodgson. “The quasi-universal 2021 target date for the rollout of more highly automated system nonetheless represents a significant acceleration in the autonomous technology market.”

Related Content

  • September 18, 2017
    R&D on autonomous, connected and electric vehicles creates growth opportunities, says research
    As the automotive industry faces narrowing margins, the need to look to other revenue streams and keep the customer committed to the brand for their next purchase is paramount, says Frost & Sullivan. Automotive manufacturers are therefore focusing on research and development (R&D) on autonomous, connected, and electrification (ACE) technologies to build fully connected and completely autonomous vehicles. To thrive in this highly competitive, evolving market, manufacturers need to look beyond seeing themselv
  • April 28, 2020
    Zuora: MaaS comes to the masses
    The shift from ownership to usership in the subscription economy provides opportunities for the whole of the mobility sector for the next decade and beyond, says John Phillips of Zuora
  • July 4, 2016
    BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye Team Up on fully autonomous driving
    BMW Group, Intel and Mobileye are collaborating to bring solutions for highly and fully automated driving into series production by 2021. The BMW iNEXT model will be the foundation for BMW Group’s autonomous driving strategy and set the basis for fleets of fully autonomous vehicles, not only on highways but also in urban environments for the purpose of automated ridesharing solutions. The three partners are committed to working towards an industry standard and defining an open platform for autonomous
  • May 11, 2017
    Market for semi-autonomous vehicles to reach 7.84 million units by 2021, say researchers
    The latest research published by MarketsandMarkets indicates that the global market for semi-autonomous vehicles is estimated to be 3.17 million units in 2016, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.85 per cent from 2016 to 2021, to reach 7.84 million units by 2021. However, the global market for autonomous vehicles is estimated to be 0.18 million units in 2025, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 41.26 per cent per cent from 2025 to 2030, to reach 1.01 million units by 2030. The report says the growth