In the last few years, cars with ADAS tech have gained significant traction among buyers, due to the convenience and safety they offer. However, not all ADAS functions are alike, and you must have heard terms like Level 1 and Level 2 ADAS. But what exactly do these ADAS levels mean, and how do they vary from each other? Fret not, here’s a detailed explanation of all ADAS levels to help you understand the tech better.
Levels of ADAS Technology
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are essentially a set of safety features that mainly revolve around collision prevention. Depending on its capabilities and functioning, it is divided into six levels, starting from Level 0 and going all the way to Level 5.
| ADAS Level | Automation Grade | What Does The System Do? | Operation of The Vehicle | Key Features | Limitations | Examples |
| Level 0 | No driving automation | System only gives alerts/warnings | Fully controlled by the driver | Reversing sensors and cameras, blind spot warnings. | No active safety intervention | All mass-market cars |
| Level 1 | Driver assistance | Can control either steering or braking/speed (both can’t be controlled together) | The system takes control of some driving functions, but the driver is still fully responsible for driving | Cruise control or lane keep assist | Cannot handle multiple tasks together | Hyundai Venue |
| Level 2 | Partial driving automation | The system is capable of controlling both steering and speed (acceleration & deceleration) | The car can itself handle some driving scenarios, but the driver should be alert at all times for manual intervention | Adaptive cruise control + lane centring systems and automatic emergency braking | Struggle in unpredictable traffic conditions | Most modern cars these days, like Honda Amaze, XUV 3XO, Creta, Seltos, XUV 7XO, Harrier, Safari, etc. |
| Level 3 | Conditional driving automation | The car can drive itself under certain conditions | Mostly by the system, but driver intervention is demanded in certain situations by the system | Traffic jam assist, highway autopilot, and AI-driven advanced decision making | – Expensive tech – Delay in system handover can be risky | Mercedes-Benz S-Class and EQS |
| Level 4 | High driving automation | Capable of self-driving and handling almost everything in geofenced areas | No driver input required in geofenced areas | City autonomy | – It is infrastructure-dependent and works in pre-defined areas only. – Not suitable for unpredictable road conditions, like those in India | Waymo, robotaxi services |
| Level 5 | Full driving automation | Fully autonomous in all conditions | No driver input required at all | No steering wheels and pedals | Not currently legal anywhere in the world | Under development |
Smart Assist; Not Self Driving
We have created the above table to make things easy to understand. And as clear, ADAS tech is enhancing safety and driving convenience. In fact, certain ADAS features are mandatory in several countries, including Australia and the European Union. However, it is important to understand their key functionalities and real-world limitations, especially in countries like India, where traffic conditions are truly unpredictable. Though in the last few years, we have had many mass-market cars equipped with up to Level 2 ADAS tech, which works best in controlled environments like highways and requires constant driver attention & intervention. Hence, one should always consider ADAS as an advanced safety assistant that eases the driving workload. It doesn’t replace the driver entirely.
