Talk:Self-driving car

History section

Given the existence of the main article on this, and the fact that this section contains some useful information which that article lacks, I think it could usefully be merged and summarised (or better still, excerpted). In fact the first part could form a better summary than exists for the main article itself right now. gilgongo (talk) 22:55, 21 December 2025 (UTC)

Please add discussion points to the Talk page section at the target.

As an aside, I wish people wouldn't add details into sections that are supposed to be summarising a main article. In this case, at least two good pieces of substantial but granular information had been added that didn't exist in the target. Don't ignore the hatnote!

--gilgongo (talk) 09:20, 22 December 2025 (UTC)

I've now excerpted the lead for History of self-driving cars into into the history section for ease of maintenance. All content that wasn't present in the target has been moved and attributed. gilgongo (talk) 18:05, 23 December 2025 (UTC)

Thanks, but can I ask why this history now starts with an RC car? Does that fit the definition of "self-driving"? And the story of Houdina in Indianapolis suggests that this may not have been an RC car anyway, but a fraud. It makes for an interesting (and perhaps tone-setting) anecdote, but does it really mark the beginning of the self-driving car? Einsof (talk) 14:35, 24 December 2025 (UTC)

I'm afraid I don't know. I'm just summarising the article as best I can, according to MOS:INTRO. gilgongo (talk) 21:42, 24 December 2025 (UTC)

Lead re-write

I've added a hatnote on this as the lead currently defines AVs but then trails off into some history of them (which is covered by the main article for that) and doesn't summarise things like different classes of control systems, and the other sub-sections on the design, regulation, problems, etc. gilgongo (talk) 10:14, 25 December 2025 (UTC)

I have now done this as well as updated the short description to distinguish this article from Unmanned ground vehicle and perhaps others. gilgongo (talk) 09:39, 26 December 2025 (UTC)

SAE Levels section

Various articles link to the section on SAE classification to explain references to Levels. There is also another description of these in Advanced driver-assistance system#ADAS levels and in Vehicular_automation#SAE_autonomy_levels. The former is rather elliptical, but the crucial point is in the sentence, "Cars may switch levels in accord with the driving mode". This could do with some exapansion with examples to aid undertanding, as I think sometimes the classification is misundertood as applying to cars without regard to the ODD.

I propose this text to explain the table along the following lines. I believe it's all supported by the main sources, (with inline citations to follow) but it's very much my own description. So I'd welcome input on that point in case I'm guilty of original research.

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The SAE classification of Levels is based on the role of the driver, rather than the vehicle's capabilities, although these are related in the form of a "driving mode" (aka driving scenario). The mode is determined by both an operational design domain (ODD) and a "dyanmic driving requirement." The ODD is the circumstance in which the car is driving, and the driving requirement is what the system must do while remaining safe within the boundaries of that ODD. These two things define the SAE Level.

Cars may therefore switch levels according to the driving mode. A human analogy might be a mode in which you can stand unassisted on one leg (the requirement) if you are on the ground (the ODD), but would need support when standing on a tightrope.

Above Level 1, level differences are related to how responsibility for safe movement is divided/shared between the advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) and driver, rather than specific driving features (see Concepts). A car might therefore have Level 3 capability for lane management (the driving requirement) up to 100km/h (the ODD), but Level 2 at speeds faster than that. Or it might have Level 4 for driverless navigation on designated highways, but Level 2 on urban side roads.

ADAS that are considered Level 1 are adaptive cruise control, emergency brake assist, automatic emergency brake assist, lane-keeping, and lane centering. ADAS that are considered Level 2 are: highway assist, autonomous obstacle avoidance, and autonomous parking. At Level 3 and above, if a car is driving and the ODD changes - for instance, a clear highway becomes a construction zone with hand-signals from a worker - the system must recognize that it is exiting its ODD and fall back accordingly, including asking for driver intervention if necessary.

A fully self-driving car would therefore stay at Level 5 for all dynamic driving requirements in all circumstances (speeds, roads, terrains, visibilities, obstacle types, jursidictions, etc.), while a car with no ADAS controlling the driving requirements would rely on the human driver for that, and stay at Level 0 regardless of the domain.

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I also propose that in other articles which refer to this definition, the first paragraph above should be excerpted there, together with the table (although I note the the level numbers are visible anchors, which won't transclude...)

Note also some text copied in the above from the ADAS article would need attribution.

-- gilgongo (talk) 16:38, 27 December 2025 (UTC)

Looks good to me.  Stepho  talk  22:15, 2 January 2026 (UTC)

OK I've now done that, and will see if I can excerpt to the relvant pages. gilgongo (talk) 12:39, 4 January 2026 (UTC)

References

Definitions section

The first part of Definitions is rather disjointed. I propose it starts with an overview of vendor approaches and terminology, then has a "Concepts" sub-section to introduce the ideas of ODD, ADS/ADAS, co-operation and self-driving before the SAE Levels section (which I am proposing should be re-written and to refer to some of those concepts in explaining the table). gilgongo (talk) 09:36, 31 December 2025 (UTC)

OK I've done that now in the spirit of WP:BOLD - HNY! gilgongo (talk) 18:02, 31 December 2025 (UTC)

move forward pls ~2026-25279-39 (talk) 07:39, 25 April 2026 (UTC)

This was done as of this revision. gilgongo (talk) 14:16, 25 April 2026 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Technology and Culture

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation–supported course assignment, between 15 January 2026 and 1 May 2026. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Eskariah (article contribs). Peer reviewers: TheColdBike.

— Assignment last updated by TheColdBike (talk) 04:43, 27 February 2026 (UTC)

Peer Review

I have peer reviewed this article. TheColdBike (talk) 20:58, 27 April 2026 (UTC)

I saw you did this here? User:Eskariah/Self-driving car/TheColdBike Peer Review

You should probably address each of the questions in the peer review assignment and perhaps ask the teacher for guidance, I am not sure all of the questions in that page were answered. well done effort regardless. User:Bluethricecreamman (Talk·Contribs) 02:37, 28 April 2026 (UTC)