Magna Touts Level 4 Autonomous Platform

Canada’s Magna International Inc. says it has developed an integrated platform that enables Level 4 autonomous vehicle operation (hands-free braking, steering, throttle and lane-changing) in most city and highway driving.

Dubbed MAX4, Magna’s system combines camera, radar, lidar and ultrasonic sensors with a computer platform the company says is scalable for high-volume production and can be integrated with any existing and future vehicle platforms, including hybrid and full-electric models.

Magna says the system, which it plans to demonstrate at next month’s Frankfurt auto show, also can be upgraded to incorporate future improvements and requires significantly less power than other autonomous platforms.

Drivers can activate MAX4 in 3 seconds by pressing a steering wheel button. A lighted display indicates the vehicle is in autonomous mode, which drivers can disengage via the brake pedal or an emergency button. Magna compares the user interface and experience to that of current cruise control systems.

MAX4 can be easily packaged in existing vehicle platforms without sacrificing cargo or interior space, according to Magna.

Magna hasn’t said when it expects to launch MAX4 in a production vehicle. Earlier this month CEO Don Walker said Level 4 technology is years from public availability and predicted fully autonomous Level 5 vehicles would account for less than 1% of sales by 2025.

Magna demonstrated a Level 3 system earlier this month in a specially equipped Cadillac ATS sedan that drove 300 miles through parts of Michigan and Ontario. The vehicle drove in autonomously for 92% of the trip, including two international border crossings.

Watch a video about MAX4 here.