The level 3 certification means that the person in the driver’s seat is technically not driving the car while the Drive Pilot system is engaged. This means the driver is not expected to be constantly monitoring, supervising, and controlling the car while this system is engaged. However, level 3 certification states that the driver must be ready to assume control of the vehicle when the feature requests such.
This is a massive upgrade from SAE Level 2 certification which states that, even while sitting in the driver’s seat with a self-driving feature enabled, the driver is still technically driving the vehicle as per usual, and is expected to supervise, monitor, and ensure the safety of the vehicle. The next certification to be pursued is level 4, or “Full self-driving,” which requires that the feature never necessitates manual driver input.
Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz
