Stellantis is set to begin rolling out Level 3 automated driving by 2024, a level of autonomy not yet touched throughout most of the world which allows for completely hands-free driving, according to Automotive News.
On Tuesday, Head of Stellantis’s Artificial Intelligence, Software and Hardware Joachim Langenwalter said, “The first Level 3 solution will come in 2024 before rolling out across the full portfolio in the years to come.”
Stellantis, which will work in partnership with BMW to develop the technology, said it plans to garner around an extra 20 billion euros ($23 billion USD) in revenue from software features in its vehicles by 2030.
While most autonomous driving, like Tesla’s beta version of what it has titled Full Self-Driving (FSD), still operates at a Level 2 of automation, called “Partial Automation,” and it requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel at all times.
Level 3 autonomy or automation effectively lets drivers stop monitoring their surroundings for periods of time while driving, though they will still be notified when they’ll need to take back control of the vehicle.
It’s not yet clear which Stellantis brands will gain these automated driving features first, but it’s likely to hit its luxury brands like Alfa Romeo before it reaches others.
BMW, on the other hand, is expected to begin unveiling Level 3 automation in 2022, beginning with the company’s 7 Series sedans.
The STLA Brain, coming in 2024, will allow for over-the-air software updates to upgrade it from Level 2 to Level 3 autonomous driving. Stellantis says for Level 4 and 5 autonomy, it will leverage Alphabet’s Waymo self-driving tech.
Earlier this year, Honda also unveiled what it called the world’s first Level 3 automated driving vehicle, the Honda Legend.
