New Stellantis self-driving system would let you watch movies. What you need to know.
The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
Michael Brooks, executive director of the advocacy group Center for Auto Safety, said he envisions the same safety issues with AutoDrive that have so far plagued supervised vehicle autonomy.
“When a crash is imminent or the computer inevitably experiences a failure, drivers who have bought into the ‘eyes-free, hands-free’ marketing and used these features to the point of reliance will not be sufficiently engaged in vehicle operation to avoid crashes,” Brooks said. “Marketing automated systems that rely on human supervision as ‘hands-free’ and ‘eyes-off’ is problematic and gives buyers more confidence in the technology than they should have, contributing to this complacency. Driver-monitoring systems designed to prevent this disengagement are all over the map in terms of current effectiveness.”
By Eric D. Lawrence, Detroit Free Press
February 20, 2025
Stellantis says its new hands-free and eyes-off the road driving system would let users temporarily watch movies and engage in other non-driving tasks at lower speeds, a possibility that prompted warnings from some safety advocates.
The company, however, said it has decided not to make the system available right now.
The system, designed for use at speeds up to 37 mph, would be geared toward conditions such as stop-and-go traffic during commutes, according to a company news release Thursday morning, that said it could be adapted for global markets across Stellantis-branded vehicles
Although it wasn’t initially clear how soon the company, owner of the Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands, might make the system available, a spokesperson indicated Thursday that STLA AutoDrive 1.0 would not be launched at this time. It’s the company’s first “in-house-developed automated driving system.”
“Our Level 3 technology is fully developed and ready for deployment, but the current market for autonomous driving at this level remains very limited. We have made the strategic decision not to launch it at this time. Once the market matures and conditions become more favorable, we will evaluate the path to commercialization,” according to a company statement provided by spokesman Frank Matyok.
Level 3 refers to a 0 to 5 classification system for driving automation.
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