• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Logistics Data Crunch

I help transport and logistics companies automate their processes

  • Newsletter
  • Archive
  • About

“Driverless” and “autonomous”

2019-09-26 By Antonis Christofides

I’m skeptic about the terms “driverless” and “autonomous”.

“Driverless” means without driver. If we had achieved “level 5 autonomy”, our vehicles might indeed be driverless. But we are a very long way from achieving such a thing. So the companies testing their “driverless” trucks are actually testing some driver assistance technologies.

Likewise, “autonomous”, if we believe the dictionaries, means “without outside control”. If we had achieved “level 5 autonomy”, our vehicles might indeed be autonomous; but the ones being tested aren’t.

Some terms I prefer are “unmanned”, “remotely controlled”, and “using driver assistance technologies”. It depends on what you want to say really.

Tagged With: autonomous, driverlessFiled Under: Artificial intelligence

Did you like this post?

Next Post: What is “artificial intelligence”? »