Li Xiang, founding father of Li Auto, has referred to as for standardized Chinese language terminology for autonomous driving ranges, warning that present advertising and marketing practices confuse shoppers about what their automobiles can do.
“I urge media and trade organizations to standardize terminology for autonomous driving,” Li posted on social media. “Phrases like L2 and L3 are incomprehensible to customers—simply technical jargon.”
Li proposed a simplified naming conference: “L2 = Driving Help; L3 = Automated Driving Help; L4 = Autonomous Driving; L5 = Driverless Driving,” emphasizing that “not a single additional character ought to be added” to keep away from exaggerated claims that would mislead customers.
“Being restrained in promotion whereas investing in expertise advantages customers, the trade, and firms in the long term,” Li added.
The intervention comes amid rising considerations that advertising and marketing hyperbole round autonomous driving capabilities contributes to accidents as drivers overestimate their automobiles’ skills. A number of high-profile crashes have occurred when drivers mistakenly believed their vehicles may drive themselves, highlighting the disconnect between advertising and marketing claims and technological actuality.
The autonomous driving classification system, which is broadly adopted internationally, was established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and ranges from L0 to L5. China’s “Vehicle Driving Automation Classification” customary references SAE J3016’s framework, with the classifications primarily aligned.
L2 (Mixed Driving Help) methods can management lateral and longitudinal automobile motion underneath particular working circumstances, equivalent to sustaining lanes and protected freeway distances. Nevertheless, drivers should stay vigilant and able to take management.
L3 (Conditional Autonomous Driving) methods can deal with all dynamic driving duties underneath particular circumstances. Autos can drive mechanically in sure environments, like highways, however drivers have to be ready to intervene when the system requests it.
L4 (Excessive-Degree Autonomous Driving) methods can full all driving duties and carry out driving takeovers underneath designed working circumstances, repeatedly monitoring visitors circumstances to realize all driving goals. Driver monitoring is mostly pointless, although human intervention should still be required in distinctive situations.
L5 (Full Autonomous Driving) methods can carry out all dynamic driving duties underneath any circumstances with out the “designed working circumstances” limitation. Autos can drive autonomously in any situation with out human driver participation—passengers solely want to offer a vacation spot or navigation data.
Business observers be aware that the hole between advertising and marketing language and technical capabilities has turn into dangerously broad. Because of deceptive terminology utilized in promotional supplies, shoppers usually consider their L2 methods have L4 or L5 capabilities. Li’s proposal goals to make clear a state of affairs the place linguistic ambiguity has actual security implications.
