The main differences between autonomous driving L1 and L2 are: L1 is assisted driving, which can only operate a very small number of vehicle functions; L2 is semi-autonomous driving, which can operate multiple vehicle functions, while the remaining few functions require the driver to operate. Detailed analysis is as follows: L1: The driver still needs to operate the vehicle, but safety systems such as ACC adaptive cruise control are available to assist the driver. Hands must remain on the steering wheel, and eyes must stay on the surrounding road conditions. For example, in high-end models of luxury brands like Volvo and Mercedes-Benz, functions such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic braking fall under the L1 autonomous driving category. L2: The autonomous driving technology can briefly take over some driving tasks, allowing the eyes and hands to rest temporarily. However, the driver must still be prepared to take over the driving tasks at any moment. Functions such as full-speed adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, active lane-keeping, automatic lane-changing, and speed limit recognition are examples. Autonomous driving demand analysis The essence of autonomous driving technology is to use artificial intelligence to replace human labor in 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 a profound impact on industries such as automotive travel, logistics, and indoor/outdoor commercial services. Thus, the direct economic value of autonomous driving technology lies in labor cost savings. All vehicles that do not require human operation can be classified under autonomous driving. Based on the openness of the scenario, driving speed (divided by a threshold of 20 km/h), and the objects being transported, autonomous driving applications can be categorized into multiple dimensions: open vs. closed, high-speed vs. low-speed, and passenger vs. cargo transport. High-speed, open-scenario autonomous driving technology is the most challenging and offers the greatest potential, attracting the top companies in the industry. However, commercialization and profitability remain distant goals. In contrast, autonomous driving applications in limited scenarios have lower technical barriers and faster commercialization processes. Fully mature autonomous driving models are rare, with Tesla being one of the few. Additionally, the market is divided into six driving modes: L0 (manual driving), L1 (assisted driving), L2 (partial autonomous driving), L3 (conditional autonomous driving), L4 (highly autonomous driving), and L5 (fully autonomous driving). Currently, the highest level available is L2 autonomous driving, and for safety reasons, human intervention is still required.
