Autonomous Vehicle
An autonomous vehicle is a vehicle able to drive itself for some or all of a journey without a human controlling it, using sensors, software and AI.
What is Autonomous Vehicle?
Engineers prefer "automated vehicle", graded by the SAE levels. Driverless robotaxis operate commercially in several US and Chinese cities, and the UK's Automated Vehicles Act 2024 sets up a legal framework for self-driving vehicles from 2026 onwards. Most autonomous vehicles are also electric vehicles.
How it works
Sensors such as cameras, radar and lidar perceive the road, software predicts other road users' behaviour and plans a path, and drive-by-wire systems steer, brake and accelerate.