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SURFACE VEHICLE
RECOMMENDED PRACTICE
J3016™
SEP2016
Issued
Revised
Superseding J3016 JAN2014
2014-01
2016-09
(R) Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems
for On-Road Motor Vehicles
RATIONALE
This Recommended Practice provides a taxonomy describing the full range of levels of driving automation in on-road motor
vehicles and includes functional definitions for advanced levels of driving automation and related terms and definitions. This
Recommended Practice does not provide specifications, or otherwise impose requirements on, driving automation systems.
Standardizing levels of driving automation and supporting terms serves several purposes, including:
• Clarifying the role of the (human) driver, if any, during driving automation system engagement.
• Answering questions of scope when it comes to developing laws, policies, regulations, and standards.
• Providing a useful framework for driving automation specifications and technical requirements.
• Providing clarity and stability in communications on the topic of driving automation, as well as a useful short-hand that
saves considerable time and effort.
This document has been developed according to the following guiding principles, namely, it should:
• Be descriptive and informative rather than normative.
• Provide functional definitions.
• Be consistent with current industry practice.
• Be consistent with prior art to the extent practicable.
• Be useful across disciplines, including engineering, law, media, public discourse.
• Be clear and cogent and, as such, it should avoid or define ambiguous terms.
The current revision contains updates that reflect lessons learned from various stakeholder discussions, as well as from
research projects conducted in Europe and the United States by the AdaptIVe Consortium and by the Crash Avoidance
Metrics Partnership (CAMP) Automated Vehicle Research (AVR) Consortium, respectively.
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These revisions, while substantial, preserve the original SAE J3016:JAN2014 level names, numbers, and functional
distinctions, as well as the supporting terms. However, this version of J3016:
J3016™ SEP2016
• Clarifies and rationalizes taxonomical differentiator(s) for lower levels (levels 0-2).
• Clarifies the scope of the J3016 driving automation taxonomy (i.e., explains to what it does and does not apply).
• Modifies existing, and adds new, supporting terms and definitions.
• Adds more rationale, examples, and explanatory text throughout.
Italicized terms used in this Recommended Practice are also defined herein.
1. SCOPE
This Recommended Practice provides a taxonomy for motor vehicle driving automation systems that perform part or all
of the dynamic driving task (DDT) on a sustained basis and that range in level from no driving automation (level 0) to full
driving automation (level 5). It provides detailed definitions for these six levels of driving automation in the context of
motor vehicles (hereafter also referred to as “vehicle” or “vehicles”) and their operation on roadways. These level
definitions, along with additional supporting terms and definitions provided herein, can be used to describe the full range
of driving automation features equipped on motor vehicles in a functionally consistent and coherent manner. “On-road”
refers to publicly accessible roadways (including parking areas and private campuses that permit public access) that
collectively serve users of vehicles of all classes and driving automation levels (including no driving automation), as well
as motorcyclists, pedal cyclists, and pedestrians.
The levels apply to the driving automation feature(s) that are engaged in any given instance of on-road operation of an
equipped vehicle. As such, although a given vehicle may be equipped with a driving automation system that is capable
of delivering multiple driving automation features that perform at different levels, the level of driving automation exhibited
in any given instance is determined by the feature(s) that are engaged.
This document also refers to three primary actors in driving: the (human) driver, the driving automation system, and other
vehicle systems and components. These other vehicle systems (or the vehicle in general terms) do not include the driving
automation system in this model, even though as a practical matter a driving automation system may actually share
hardware and software components with other vehicle systems, such as a processing module(s) or operating code.
The levels of driving automation are defined by reference to the specific role played by each of the three primary actors in
performance of the DDT. “Role” in this context refers to the expected role of a given primary actor, based on the design of
the driving automation system in question and not necessarily to the actual performance of a given primary actor. For
example, a driver who fails to monitor the roadway during engagement of a level 1 adaptive cruise control (ACC) system
still has the role of driver, even while s/he is neglecting it.
Active safety systems, such as electronic stability control and automated emergency braking, and certain types of driver
assistance systems, such as lane keeping assistance, are excluded from the scope of this driving automation taxonomy
because they do not perform part or all of the DDT on a sustained basis and, rather, merely provide momentary intervention
during potentially hazardous situations. Due to the momentary nature of the actions of active safety systems, their
intervention does not change or eliminate the role of the driver in performing part or all of the DDT, and thus are not
considered to be driving automation.
It should, however, be noted that crash avoidance features, including intervention-type active safety systems, may be
included in vehicles equipped with driving automation systems at any level. For ADS-equipped vehicles (i.e., levels 3-5) that
perform the complete DDT, crash avoidance capability is part of ADS functionality.
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2. REFERENCES
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The following publications form a part of this specification to the extent specified herein. Unless otherwise indicated, the
latest issue of SAE publications shall apply.
2.1 Applicable Documents
J670
J3063
Vehicle Dynamics Terminology (J670:JAN2008).
Active Safety Systems Terms & Definitions (J3063:NOV2015).
49 U.S.C. § 30102(a)(6) (definition of motor vehicle).
Gasser, Tom et al. “Legal consequences of an increase in vehicle automation”, July 23, 2013, available at
http://bast.opus.hbz-nrw.de/volltexte/2013/723/pdf/Legal_consequences_of_an_increase_in_vehicle_automation.pdf.
Michon, J.A., 1985. A CRITICAL VIEW OF DRIVER BEHAVIOR MODELS: WHAT DO WE KNOW, WHAT SHOULD WE
DO? In L. Evans & R. C. Schwing (Eds.). Human behavior and traffic safety (pp. 485-520). New York: Plenum Press,
1985.
Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership – Automated Vehicle Research Consortium, “Automated Vehicle Research for
Enhanced Safety – Final Report,” (in publication).
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Preliminary Statement of Policy Concerning Automated Vehicles,”, May
30, 2013, available at http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/U.S.+Department+of+Transportation+Releases+
Policy+on+Automated+Vehicle+Development.
Smith, Bryant Walker. Engineers and Lawyers Should Speak the Same Robot Language, in ROBOT LAW (2015), available
at https://newlypossible.org.
3. DEFINITIONS
3.1 ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEM (SAE J3063:NOV2015)
Active safety systems are vehicle systems that sense and monitor conditions inside and outside the vehicle for the purpose
of identifying perceived present and potential dangers to the vehicle, occupants, and/or other road users, and automatically
intervene to help avoid or mitigate potential collisions via various methods, including alerts to the driver, vehicle system
adjustments, and/or active control of the vehicle subsystems (brakes, throttle, suspension, etc.).
NOTE: For purposes of this report, systems that meet the definition of active safety systems are considered to have a
design purpose that is primarily focused on improving safety rather than comfort, convenience or general driver
assistance. Active safety systems warn or intervene during a high risk event or maneuver.
3.2 AUTOMATED DRIVING SYSTEM (ADS)
The hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing the entire DDT on a sustained basis, regardless of
whether it is limited to a specific operational design domain (ODD); this term is used specifically to describe a level 3, 4, or
5 driving automation system.
NOTE: In contrast to ADS, the generic term “driving automation system” (see 3.5) refers to any level 1-5 system or feature
that performs part or all of the DDT on a sustained basis. Given the similarity between the generic term, “driving
automation system,” and the level 3-5-specific term, “Automated Driving System,” the latter term should be
capitalized when spelled out and reduced to its acronym, ADS, as much as possible, while the former term should
not be.
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3.3 ADS-DEDICATED VEHICLE (ADS-DV)
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A vehicle designed to be operated exclusively by a level 4 or level 5 ADS for all trips.
NOTE 1: An ADS-DV is a truly “driverless” vehicle. However, the term “driverless vehicle” is not used herein because it
has been, and continues to be, widely misused to refer to any vehicle equipped with a driving automation system,
even if that system is not capable of always performing the entire DDT and thus involves a (human) driver for
part of a given trip. This is the only category of ADS-operated vehicle that requires neither a conventional nor
remote driver during routine operation.
NOTE 2: An ADS-DV might be designed without user interfaces, such as braking, accelerating, steering, and transmission
gear selection input devices designed to be operable by a human driver.
NOTE 3: A level 4 ADS-DV by design does not operate outside of its ODD (subject to note 4 below).
NOTE 4: ADS-DVs might be operated temporarily by a conventional or remote driver: 1) to manage transient deviations
from the ODD, 2) to address a system failure or 3) while in a marshalling yard before being dispatched.
EXAMPLE 1: A level 4 ADS-DV designed to operate exclusively within a corporate campus where it picks up and
discharges passengers along a specific route specified by the ADS-DV dispatcher.
EXAMPLE 2: A level 4 ADS-DV designed to operate exclusively within a geographically prescribed central business
district where it delivers parts and supplies using roads (but not necessarily routes) specified by the ADS-
DV dispatcher.
EXAMPLE 3: A level 5 ADS-DV capable of operating on all roads that are navigable by a human driver. The user simply
inputs a destination, and the ADS-DV automatically navigates to that destination.
3.4 DRIVING AUTOMATION
The performance of part or all of the DDT on a sustained basis.
3.5 DRIVING AUTOMATION SYSTEM or TECHNOLOGY
The hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing part or all of the DDT on a sustained basis; this term
is used generically to describe any system capable of level 1-5 driving automation.
NOTE: In contrast to this generic term for any level 1-5 system, the specific term for a level 3-5 system is “Automated
Driving System (ADS).” Given the similarity between the generic term, “driving automation system,” and the level
3-5-specific term, “Automated Driving System,” the latter term should be capitalized when spelled out and reduced
to its acronym, ADS, as much as possible, while the former term should not be. (See 3.2)
3.6
[DRIVING AUTOMATION SYSTEM] FEATURE or APPLICATION
A driving automation system’s design-specific functionality at a specific level of driving automation within a particular ODD.
NOTE 1: A given driving automation system may have multiple features, each associated with a particular level of driving
automation and ODD.
NOTE 2: Each feature satisfies a usage specification.
NOTE 3:
Features may be referred to by generic names (e.g., automated parking) or by proprietary names.
EXAMPLE 1: A level 3 ADS feature that performs the DDT, excluding DDT fallback, in high-volume traffic on fully access-
controlled freeways.
EXAMPLE 2: A level 4 ADS feature that performs the DDT, including DDT fallback, in a specified geo-fenced urban
center.
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3.7 DRIVING MODE
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A type of vehicle operation with characteristic DDT requirements (e.g., expressway merging, high-speed cruising, low-
speed traffic jam, etc.).
NOTE: In the previous version of this document, the term driving mode was used more extensively. In this updated version,
operational design domain is the preferred term for many of these uses.
3.8 DYNAMIC DRIVING TASK (DDT)
All of the real-time operational and tactical functions required to operate a vehicle in on-road traffic, excluding the strategic
functions such as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and waypoints, and including without limitation:
1. Lateral vehicle motion control via steering (operational);
2. Longitudinal vehicle motion control via acceleration and deceleration (operational);
3. Monitoring the driving environment via object and event detection, recognition, classification, and response
preparation (operational and tactical)
4. Object and event response execution (operational and tactical);
5. Maneuver planning (tactical); and
6. Enhancing conspicuity via lighting, signaling and gesturing, etc. (tactical).
NOTE 1:
For simplification and to provide a useful shorthand term, subtasks (3) and (4) are referred to collectively as
object and event detection and response (OEDR) (see 3.15).
NOTE 2:
In this document, reference is made to “complete(ing) the DDT.” This means fully performing all of the subtasks
of the DDT, whether by the (human) driver, by the driving automation system, or by both.
NOTE 3:
Figure 1 displays a schematic view of the driving task. For more information on the differences between
operational, tactical, and strategic functions of driving, see 8.4.
Figure 1 - Schematic view of driving task showing DDT portion
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For purposes of DDT performance, level 1 encompasses automation of part of the innermost loop (i.e., either lateral vehicle
motion control functionality or longitudinal vehicle motion control functionality and limited OEDR associated with the given
axis of vehicle motion control); level 2 encompasses automation of the innermost loop (lateral and longitudinal vehicle
motion control and limited OEDR associated with vehicle motion control), and levels 3-5 encompass automation of both
inner loops (lateral and longitudinal vehicle motion control and complete OEDR). Note that DDT performance does not
include strategic aspects of driving (e.g., determining whether, when and where to travel).
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3.9
[DYNAMIC DRIVING TASK (DDT)] FALLBACK
The response by the user or by an ADS to either perform the DDT or achieve a minimal risk condition after occurrence of a
DDT performance-relevant system failure(s) or upon ODD exit.
NOTE 1:
The DDT and the DDT fallback are distinct functions, and the capability to perform one does not necessarily
entail the ability to perform the other. Thus, a level 3 ADS, which is capable of performing the entire DDT within
its operational design domain (ODD), may not be capable of performing the DDT fallback in all situations that
require it and thus will issue a request to intervene to the DDT fallback-ready user when necessary.
NOTE 2: At level 3, an ADS is capable of continuing to perform the DDT for at least several seconds after providing the
fallback-ready user with a request to intervene. The DDT fallback-ready user is then expected to achieve a
minimal risk condition if s/he determines it to be necessary.
NOTE 3: At levels 4 and 5, the ADS must be capable of performing the DDT fallback, as well as achieving a minimal risk
condition. Level 4 and 5 ADS-equipped vehicles that are designed to also accommodate operation by a driver
(whether conventional or remote) may allow a user to perform the DDT fallback if s/he chooses to do so.
However, a level 4 or 5 ADS need not be designed to allow a user to perform DDT fallback and, indeed, may
be designed to disallow it in order to reduce crash risk (see 8.3).
NOTE 4: While a level 4 or 5 ADS is performing the DDT fallback, it may be limited by design in speed and/or range of
lateral and/or longitudinal vehicle motion control (i.e., it may enter so-called “limp-home mode”).
EXAMPLE 1: A level 1 adaptive cruise control (ACC) feature experiences a system failure that causes the feature to stop
performing its intended function. The human driver performs the DDT fallback by resuming performance
of the complete DDT.
EXAMPLE 2: A level 3 ADS feature that performs the entire DDT during traffic jams on freeways is not able to do so when
it encounters a crash scene and therefore issues a request to intervene to the DDT fallback-ready user.
S/he responds by taking over performance of the entire DDT in order to maneuver around the crash scene.
(Note that in this example, a minimal risk condition is not needed or achieved.)
EXAMPLE 3: A level 4 ADS-dedicated vehicle (ADS-DV) that performs the entire DDT within a geo-fenced city center
experiences a DDT performance-relevant system failure. In response, the ADS-DV performs the DDT
fallback by turning on the hazard flashers, maneuvering the vehicle to the road shoulder and parking it,
before automatically summoning emergency assistance. (Note that in this example, the ADS-DV
automatically achieves a minimal risk condition.)
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The following Figures 2 through 6 illustrate DDT fallback at various levels of driving automation.
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Figure 2 - Use case sequence at Level 3 showing ADS engaged, a vehicle failure and the user resuming control
Figure 3 - Use case sequence at Level 3 showing ADS engaged, and ADS failure and the user resuming control
Figure 4 - Use case sequence at Level 3 showing ADS engaged, exiting the ODD and the user resuming control
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Figure 5 - Use case sequence at Level 4 showing ADS engaged, an ADS failure and the system achieving a
minimal risk condition
Figure 6 - Use case sequence at Level 4 showing ADS engaged, approaching ODD exit and the system achieving
a minimal risk condition
3.10 LATERAL VEHICLE MOTION CONTROL
The DDT subtask comprising the activities necessary for the real-time, sustained regulation of the y-axis component of
vehicle motion.
NOTE: Lateral vehicle motion control includes the detection of the vehicle positioning relative to lane boundaries and
application of steering and/or differential braking inputs to maintain appropriate lateral positioning.
3.11 LONGITUDINAL VEHICLE MOTION CONTROL
The DDT subtask comprising the activities necessary for the real-time, sustained regulation of the x-axis component of
vehicle motion.
NOTE: Longitudinal vehicle motion control includes maintaining set speed as well as detecting a preceding vehicle in the
path of the subject vehicle, maintaining an appropriate gap to the preceding vehicle and applying propulsion or
braking inputs to cause the vehicle to maintain that speed or gap.