Self-driving: Level 3 authorized in Europe

On 14 January 2022, 53 European countries amended the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (1968), a multilateral treaty designed to facilitate traffic and improve road safety across countries.

Starting 14 July 2022, Level 3 autonomous driving will be authorized in Europe. On this level, the driver is not required to hold the wheel. However, they must be ready to take control of their vehicle as soon as the automated system requests it.

Level 3 autonomous cars can travel on the European territory under certain conditions:

• the lane in question must be closed to pedestrians and cyclists
• the roadway must be equipped with a separation between the two directions of traffic
• the speed of the vehicle must not exceed 60km/h

Self-driving is classified into five levels, beginning with the first level where the driver is assisted by the vehicle and ending with the fifth level where the vehicle is fully automated (human intervention is no longer necessary).