Since 2023, the pace of implementing autonomous driving technology has picked up significantly worldwide, thanks to ongoing technological advancements. Numerous countries and regions are accelerating the deployment of autonomous vehicles. From the commercialization of advanced autonomous driving systems to the widespread use of low-speed unmanned vehicles in ports, mining areas, and parks, significant progress has been made. These breakthroughs highlight the recognized value of autonomous driving across various applications.

For passenger car drivers, the technology that currently offers the most significant hands-free driving and fatigue relief is Urban Navigation on Autopilot (NOA).

NOA, or Navigate on Autopilot, stands for "navigation-assisted driving." With NOA, users can enjoy point-to-point navigation assistance within specific road ranges, allowing the vehicle to reach its destination without the need for driver intervention.

Intelligent connected vehicles are equipped with environmental perception, intelligent decision-making, and automatic control capabilities. They can interact with external information and even engage in collaborative control, enhancing their functionality and integration with their surroundings.

The driving automation classification standard outlines six levels of automation, ranging from L0 to L5. Levels L0 to L2 are categorized as driving assistance, while starting at L3, the transition from assisted driving to fully autonomous driving begins. Level L3 is conditional automated driving, where the vehicle can drive itself under specific conditions. At Level L4, the vehicle typically handles all driving tasks without driver intervention, except in certain special situations.

Many consumers have noticed at auto shows and when purchasing new cars that autonomous driving is increasingly becoming a "standard feature." Additionally, unmanned vehicles for logistics, public transportation, and other purposes are becoming more common in everyday life. How long will it be before autonomous vehicles are widely seen on our roads?

The United States was among the first countries to research and test autonomous driving. It has developed comprehensive laws, regulations, and standards, and is home to leading autonomous driving companies like Google, Tesla, and General Motors. The country has already implemented partial commercial operations for driverless taxis, truck transportation, and buses.

The development of autonomous driving in Europe mainly depends on Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. These countries have a strong automotive industry foundation in the field of autonomous driving, and also have advanced systems and frameworks in terms of regulations and standards. The United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Scotland and other places have already piloted unmanned buses in cities, and many companies are currently jointly developing the "ULTIMO" autonomous electric minibus service.

"Safety" is the foremost concern in developing intelligent connected vehicles. Balancing industrial innovation with safety and control is crucial for the mass production of self-driving cars.

While autonomous driving may match or even surpass human driving abilities in certain situations, it still requires significant advancements before it can be widely adopted for social and commercial purposes. Currently, there are significant variations among intelligent driving products in the industry, including differences in functionality, safety performance, human-machine interaction, operating conditions, and data utilization. These disparities pose risks to driving safety and data security. Achieving commercial and safe application of autonomous driving demands more data collection and scenario training.

The advancement of autonomous driving is now globally recognized as a strategic priority for upgrading the automobile industry and reshaping transportation models. Currently, technology from the United States and Europe predominantly leads the overseas market. However, regions like the United Arab Emirates and Dubai in the Middle East, as well as Thailand and Singapore in Southeast Asia, are notably open and welcoming to companies from abroad, particularly in terms of practical applications. In the coming years, the race to commercialize autonomous driving will intensify, marking a crucial period. We'll closely observe how the industry overcomes challenges amidst fierce global competition.