Written by / Zhu Lin
Editor/ Qian Yaguang
Design / Zhao Haoran
Source: Autonews, TechXplore, Motor1, by Hans Greimel, Angel Sergeev
In November 2020, Honda Received Approval to Sell L3 Self-Driving Cars in Japan, which the automaker and Japanese authorities called the world's first case.
In March 2021, cars equipped with the L3 autonomous driving system began to be sold in Japan, heralding a new era of convenience for car owners.
However, a recent test drive of Honda's car on the Tokyo Expressway shows that true autonomous driving is still far from us. In some ways, the system has even led to a new set of pressures.
The world's first L3 car
In March 2021, Honda launched the Legend Hybrid EX in Japan, which is equipped with the Top Driver Assistance Technology Suite Honda Sensing Elite. This gives it a leading position in the global automotive industry.
The Traffic Jam Pilot system on this sedan is the first L3 autonomous driving system approved in Japan and the world's first system to be equipped with a production car that can be driven on the road.
The system promises that on 90 percent of Japan's highways, it is possible to drive away from the hand and eyes, that is, without holding the steering wheel in hand, without keeping the line of sight on the road, and even allowing the driver to sit in the back seat and watch TV on the central console, because the car can handle traffic problems seamlessly.
However, reality shows the limitations of L3 autonomous driving. On the road to fully autonomous vehicles, L3 becomes an increasingly controversial intermediate stage.
L3 autonomous driving allows cars to remain driverless in most cases, but requires drivers to take over the steering wheel in the event of an emergency. The concern about the safety of automatic driving is that some human drivers rely too much on the system to drive on behalf of the driver, fall into a state of complacency, and are prone to distraction and confusion when switching driving states.
Some automakers are now eschewing L3 autonomous driving, or plan to skip it altogether and head straight for higher levels.
Honda's system can only be used in Japan. Honda produced only 100 cars equipped with the system. The car was produced at Honda's assembly plant in Sasan City, Saitama Prefecture, which ceased production on December 27, 2021, following Honda's global restructuring.
This special version of the Legend went on sale on March 5, 2021, and is priced at 11 million yen, which is 3 million yen more expensive than the regular version of this car.
By October 2021, Honda's car had only sold about 80 units.
The system is limited by speed
Honda's L3 system uses five Valeo lidars, five continental millimeter-wave radars, and two cameras to work with a global navigation satellite system to drive the vehicle autonomously on the road.
But the system is designed for use in traffic jams and can only operate in a narrower speed range. It can only be activated at speeds above 30 km/h, after which the L3 system can operate in the range of 0 to 50 km/h.
At speeds above 50 km/h, the system issues a series of warnings to the driver to take over driving
During the one-and-a-half-hour test drive on the Tokyo Expressway, even during rush hour, the conditions were not enough for people to enjoy the L3 self-driving mode. On the road to Tokyo's Haneda International Airport, for a short period of time, the L3 system actually started. But soon, the speed of the car exceeded 50 km / h, and the control of the vehicle was returned to the driver.
Drivers should remain alert
It is certain that the assumption of this technology is that it can only really work in low-speed and stop-and-go traffic conditions. In some specific sections of urban highways, some dense curves, the system is completely unable to work.
Such limitations partially acknowledge that the L3 system is still not ready to cover a wide range of real driving scenarios. Its practicality is also limited by the small operating speed range. In actual traffic jam driving, the speed of traffic often exceeds 50 km/h.
The Honda L3 system is designed to reduce fatigue, and it does do that to some extent. But the end result is that human drivers still have to be vigilant in order to take over control of the vehicle at any time. Despite saying drivers can relax and watch videos, Honda has also warned them not to eat, lie down or wear sunglasses, which could lead to a warning from the surveillance system.
In fact, the system only gives the driver 10 seconds to take over control. If the driver does not respond, the car escalates the warning through a series of orange lights, chirping and tightening safety until the vehicle finally stops on its own shoulder and makes an emergency call.
The environment required for L3 is complex
Continental provided Legend with four angle radars and a long-range forward radar, as well as an electronic control device that fuses sensor data into an "environmental map" around the vehicle.
Bert Wolfram, CEO of Continental Japan, said Continental gave Honda its highest-level self-driving technology, in part because the German brand had not yet offered the L3 system to the outside world.
Audi, for example, has also equipped its vehicles with L3 Traffic Jam Pilot technology, but the German luxury brand still hasn't turned on this feature. Honda has not deployed L3 self-driving technology in the U.S. market because it says the infrastructure there is not compatible with its systems.
Legend is equipped with angle radar▼ from Continental
Stellantis said in December 2021 that it would roll out off-hand L3 autonomous driving technology on its vehicles starting in 2024. The automaker said it is working with BMW to develop the technology, which allows drivers to hand over control of the vehicle. BMW may launch the L3 technology for the first time in the next generation of 7 Series premium sedans as early as 2022.
Wolfland said that the mainland recognizes the gradual development of autonomous driving technology and believes that it will step by step towards fully autonomous driving. The company is happy to offer such systems to automakers, even the L3 system.
Wolfland also said it was a matter of pride to work with Honda to develop the world's first L3 system, which requires "very complex" environmental modeling.
Continental's partnership with Honda is part of the supplier's shift to offering "full-stack" products that integrate hardware and software that allow automakers to source "plug and play."