At the 40th International Vienna Motor Symposium, which took place last week, Volkswagen showcased its autonomous vehicles, underlining the steps it is taking toward the development of highly automated driving.
The German car maker began developing assist functions more than 20 years ago and now offers a wide range of driver assistance systems for longitudinal and transverse vehicle control under its IQ.DRIVE umbrella brand. These systems are the first steps on the journey to automated and, ultimately, driverless driving, according to Volkswagen.
The jump from the current Level 2 (partially assisted driving) to Levels 3 and 4 will present a particular challenge in terms of technology, legislation and ethics. These challenges stem from the fact that these levels represent the first time that responsibility for driving will be transferred from the driver to the automated driving functions (at least on a temporary basis).
