Automobile: Stellantis will soon offer an autonomous driving system

Stellantis will soon offer cars equipped with a Level 3 autonomous driving system, allowing drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel and look away from the road at speeds of up to 60 km/h in certain conditions, the automotive group announced on Friday.

Already offered by Mercedes and BMW, this automated driving technology is being tested in the United States and Italy and "ready to be deployed" by Stellantis, depending on local regulations, Doug Wellman, director of driver assistance systems (ADAS) for the group, told journalists on Friday.

The technology is being developed for Stellantis' Medium and Large platforms, Wellman said, which include vehicles ranging from the Peugeot 3008 to the Jeep Wagoneer S. But the company has yet to say which vehicles among its 15 brands will be the first to benefit from the technology, and at what cost.

In Germany, BMW and Mercedes offer it as an option for around 6,000 euros on their flagships, the 7 Series and S-Class. The latter will allow you to go up to 95 km/h with your eyes closed from spring 2025. This level 3 autonomy device (on a scale going up to level 5, where there is no steering wheel) is designed in particular for traffic jams on expressways, even at night or in the rain. The driver can now send messages or watch videos.

Most autonomous driving systems, such as Tesla's, remain at Level 2 for now and require the driver's constant attention and hands on the wheel. Level 3 represents a "huge" technological leap, based on the use of Lidar, laser sensors, Wellman stressed.

In concrete terms, at level 3, drivers are notified that the "STLA AutoDrive" system is available and activate it via a button. The car then switches to autopilot, with the computer taking control of speed, steering and braking to maintain safe distances. But the driver, monitored by one or more cameras, must be able to quickly regain control in the event of a problem.