Assistance is not autonomy
Automation levels describe responsibility, not how futuristic a vehicle’s display looks or how many manoeuvres it can perform.
Canvas of Knowledge · 14 November 2026 · Illustrated explainerLevel 2
The system may steer and control acceleration or braking together, but the human remains responsible for driving and monitoring the road.
Level 3
Within specified operating conditions, the system performs the driving task. The driver must remain available to take over when requested; this is not unrestricted autonomous driving.
Read the product wording
Huawei qualifies passenger-vehicle ADS as assisted driving. Tesla says FSD (Supervised) requires active driver supervision and does not make the car autonomous.
THE IDEA TO KEEPThe decisive question is the driver’s required role under the system’s approved operating conditions.
Sources & further reading
- NHTSA · Automated vehicle safety and levels →
- Huawei · ADS limitations →
- Tesla · Full Self-Driving (Supervised) →
Sources reviewed 14 November 2026. Specifications and availability depend on the product, market and date. Source organisations do not endorse this website.