What are the functions of Level 2 autonomous driving?

[Baker]

The functions of Level 2 autonomous driving include: Adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, and automatic parking. Level 2 autonomous driving refers to partial vehicle automation where the system and human jointly control the vehicle. The vehicle can only operate automatically under certain specific conditions. In some situations, Level 2 autonomous driving does not require human control. For example, vehicles equipped with ACC adaptive cruise control can achieve automatic following function during traffic congestion, and automatically brake to decelerate when the distance to the vehicle ahead becomes too close. Cars with automatic parking can automatically enter a parking space after detecting one. Level 2 autonomous driving provides driving support for multiple operations involving steering wheel and acceleration/deceleration through the driving environment, while other driving actions are performed by the driver. Simply put, if a vehicle can simultaneously control driving direction, acceleration, and braking during operation, it meets the criteria for Level 2 autonomous driving. However, the driver must still remain vigilant and continuously monitor the surrounding environment throughout the journey, ready to take over control at any time. The essence of autonomous driving technology is to use artificial intelligence to replace human labor in various specific scenarios, improving work efficiency and reducing labor costs. Its underlying logic is similar to the "machine replacement" concept of industrial robots, which will have profound impacts on multiple industries including automotive transportation, logistics, and indoor/outdoor commercial services. Therefore, the direct economic value of autonomous driving technology lies in its labor cost savings. All vehicles that do not require human operation can be classified under autonomous driving. Based on scenario openness, driving speed (divided by the 20km/h threshold), and cargo type, autonomous driving applications can be categorized across multiple dimensions: open vs. closed scenarios, high-speed vs. low-speed, passenger vs. cargo transportation, etc. High-speed open-scenario autonomous driving presents the highest technical difficulty and greatest potential, attracting the industry's top companies, yet remains far from commercialization and profitability. In comparison, autonomous driving applications in limited scenarios have lower technical barriers and faster commercialization progress. There are not many mature models with autonomous driving capabilities, with Tesla being one example. Additionally, the market categorizes driving modes into six levels: L0 (manual driving), L1 (driver assistance), L2 (partial autonomous driving), L3 (conditional autonomous driving), L4 (high autonomous driving), and L5 (full autonomous driving). Currently, the highest level available is Level 2 autonomous driving, which still requires human intervention for safety reasons.