Skip to content
What we do

Autonomous vehicle

Vehicles that drive themselves within a defined zone and conditions.

Two technicians in high-visibility vests in a test car, with a data screen on the dashboard
Track test of the SELFY tools at Applus+ IDIADA (Catalonia), May 2025. Photo: SELFY project / Eurecat.

What it is

An perceives its surroundings with sensors, decides and drives without a person having to do so. It only works within limits: a zone, a speed, a type of road and a climate.

Why it matters

A driverless service also has to provide assistance during the journey. Someone has to help with boarding, announce the stop and respond if something fails. If the service does not plan for this, it leaves some people out.

What we do at AEVAC

Six SAE levels of autonomy, from 0 to 5, each with a drawn car. The full description is just below.
Vehicle levels of autonomy, from 0 to 5. Source: AEVAC study "Roadmap for the standardisation and legislation of autonomous vehicles in Spain" (2021).
Text description of the levels of autonomy
  • Level 0: no automation (at most, some audible warnings).
  • Level 1: driver assistance.
  • Level 2: partial automation.
  • Level 3: conditional automation of part of the driving task.
  • Level 4: high driving automation.
  • Level 5: full driving automation.

Related projects

  • White autonomous shuttle crossing a metal bridge between Spain and Portugal

    European project · Completed

    5G-MOBIX

    Tests of connected and automated driving over 5G networks on that cross borders.

    AEVAC's role: consortium partner

    Cross-border corridor between Vigo and Porto (Spain and Portugal), plus corridors and test sites in other European countries, in China and in South Korea

    • Autonomous vehicle
    • Infrastructure
    • Europe
    • Research
  • SHOW logo

    European project · Completed

    SHOW

    Shared, electric and automated fleets within public transport, tested in 20 European cities.

    AEVAC's role: external advisers

    20 European cities

    • Autonomous vehicle
    • Smart cities
    • Europe
  • Two technicians in high-visibility vests in a test car, with a data screen on the dashboard

    European project · Completed

    SELFY

    Tools so that and mobility systems can detect attacks, protect themselves and recover.

    AEVAC's role: consortium partner

    Demonstrations on the Applus+ IDIADA track (Catalonia) and in central Vienna

    • Autonomous vehicle
    • Europe
    • Research
    • Infrastructure

To read more