Autonomous driving: Level 3 permitted in France

Under certain conditions, a Level 3 autonomous car can drive itself. However, the driver must remain vigilant.

Starting September 1, 2022, France will allow Level 3 autonomous driving. With this technology, the driver can release the steering wheel under certain conditions. But for now, models offering this technology are extremely rare.

The new regulation, defined by the decree of June 29, 2021, imposes some rules. Thus, Level 3 autonomous driving is only permitted on roads without pedestrians or cyclists and equipped with a central divider. The vehicle’s speed must not exceed 60 km/h. Additionally, the driver must be ready to take back control if necessary.

The driver is not held responsible for an incident caused by a failure of the autonomous driving system. Here is what the law states on this matter:

“During periods when the automated driving system exerts dynamic control over the vehicle in accordance with its conditions of use, the manufacturer of the vehicle or its authorized representative, within the meaning of Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 30, 2018, shall be criminally liable for offenses of involuntary harm to life or physical integrity as provided for in Articles 221-6-1, 222-19-1, and 222-20-1 of the Penal Code when a fault, within the meaning of Article 121-3 of the same Code, is established.”

Mercedes ahead of the competition

In Europe, only Mercedes already sells Level 3 autonomous vehicles. The models involved are the S-Class and the EQS. The technology, offered as an option, is currently only available in Germany. It costs €5,000 for the S-Class and €7,430 for the EQS.

Tesla’s Autopilot remains at Level 2 for now. Recall that the scale consists of 5 levels. At Level 4, the person behind the wheel can engage in other activities while the car drives on highways. Level 5 corresponds to fully autonomous driving, in a vehicle that potentially has no pedals or steering wheel. But will it ever be achieved?

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