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

  • March 9, 2015
    Next decade will see more HUDs in consumer cars, says report
    Almost one third of consumer vehicles shipping in 2024 will be equipped with some form of heads-up display (HUD), with the bulk of the growth driven by combiner units. Traditional head units are being joined by virtual instrument clusters and HUDs in providing drivers with information relating to navigation, on-board audio and inputs from ADAS systems. These displays will demonstrate strong growth, with the proliferation of connected vehicles requiring adaptable and reconfigurable visual interfaces. There a
  • September 30, 2015
    Automotive navigation market to grow due to focus on autonomous cars, says report
    The market for automotive navigation software, data, and location-based services is shifting as OEMs focus on bringing a mix of connected navigation experiences for drivers and using location data for ADAS and enabling self-driving cars, according to Strategy Analytics’ latest report. The report, Navigation Market: Maps for Self-Driving Cars Shift Segment's Focus - 2015 Update, features the service's most up-to-date navigation forecast, which is a combined figure that includes shipments of embedded navig
  • February 28, 2013
    Driverless vehicles just around the corner?
    umors that self-driving taxis are about to hit the streets of Las Vegas have turned out to be untrue… but the age of the driverless vehicle is only just around the corner, as Pete Goldin finds out. From Herbie the Love Bug to Knight Rider to the cast of the Pixar film Cars, the autono­mous auto has long been a beloved icon in the entertainment industry. But how close is the fiction to fact? The general public might be surprised to find out just how soon autonomous vehicles could be driving on our roadways.
  • March 1, 2021
    CES 2021 | Connecting cities
    Covid-19 forced the Las Vegas Convention Center to close its doors for CES 2021, but the trade show’s online debut suggests the pandemic is helping cities