The AVA “Autonomous Vehicle for All” programme, presented at the Geneva Motor Show, brings together a large range of functions that will gradually lead to the partial, and later total, delegation of the driving to the car itself, if the driver wishes so. The Groupe PSA’s goal is to make autonomous cars accessible to the greatest number of users by offering cars that simplify everyday life, thereby freeing up time while aboard, in an ever-safer way. The Group is rolling out the AVA programme on the vehicles of its Peugeot, Citroën and DS brands.
The demonstration models tested by motorists are equipped with functions level 3 “eyes off” and 4 “mind off”. These vehicles are the forerunners of the completely autonomous cars that will become available after 2020.
Currently, driver assistance functions originating from the AVA programme are already available on several vehicles, as the Peugeot 3008, Traveler, the Citroën C4 Picasso, C3 and Spacetourer in Europe; the Peugeot 4008 and the Citroën C6 in China. Some examples of these functions:
- The vehicle adapts to the speed of the car ahead and keeps a safe distance. The car is therefore able to stop automatically thanks to the “Adaptive Cruise Control with stop function”.
- The vehicle alerts the driver in the event of a collision risk thanks to the “Distance Alert” ; the car automatically activates the braking system if necessary thanks to the “Active Safety Brake”.
- The vehicle automatically returns to its lane if it has drifted out thanks to the “Lane Keeping Assist”.
- The vehicle detects itself a parking space suitable to its size and manages the steering system thanks to the “Park Assist”.
Starting in 2018, automated driving functions “under driver’s supervision” will constitute the second phase of the AVA “Autonomous Vehicle for All” programme. Some level 2 functions will be launched on the DS 7 CROSSBACK :
- The vehicle manages its speed and controls its trajectory. The “Connected Pilot” offers a complete assistance on fast roads.
- The vehicle parks itself without driver’s action thanks to the ” Park Pilot”.
- The embedded vehicle’s equipment identify the obstacles ensuring an increased night visibility thanks to the “Night Vision”
- A camera inside the vehicle monitors the driver’s attention thanks to the “Driver Attention Monitoring”.
From 2020, autonomous driving functions called “hands off”, followed by level 3 “eyes off” functions, will enable the driver to completely delegate the driving to the vehicle.
Groupe PSA became the first company to test autonomous cars on open roads in France beginning in July 2015. In March 2017, PSA became the first to experiment with so-called “non-experts” behind the wheel. These tests began in early March 2017 and will continue in June 2017 with the general public.
To date, over 120,000 kilometres have been covered in autonomous mode (levels 2, 3 and 4) on European fast roads. A total of 15 prototypes are being used by the Group and its partners.
