Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are vehicles that can perform some or all of the driving task on their own, using cameras, radar, lidar and software to sense their surroundings and decide how to move.
SAE International’s J3016 standard defines six levels, from 0 (no automation) to 5 (full automation anywhere). Most cars on the road today offer driver assistance at Levels 1 and 2. Fully driverless service exists at Level 4, in robotaxi fleets operating within mapped service areas. Level 5 does not yet exist commercially.
The SAE levels in brief
- Levels 0 to 2: the human drives, with increasing assistance; the driver must supervise at all times.
- Level 3: the system drives in limited conditions, and the human must take over when asked.
- Level 4: no driver needed within a defined area and conditions.
- Level 5: no driver needed anywhere.
Possible effects on parking
- Vehicles that drop riders off and park elsewhere, or keep moving, could reduce demand near destinations while adding empty trips.
- Self-parking vehicles could use denser layouts. See autonomous valet parking.
- Fleet operation shifts demand from customer parking to fleet staging, charging and depots.
- Curbs become busier pickup and drop-off zones. See mobility court.
- These effects are projections. Their size and timing depend on adoption, pricing and policy, and remain uncertain.
The Parkonomics view
Parkonomics treats autonomy as a planning scenario, not a forecast. The prudent response is not to stop building parking or keep building it unchanged, but to build structures that can serve fleets, charging and other uses as the mix shifts.
Related terms: Robotaxi, Level 4 Autonomy, Level 5 Autonomous Vehicle, Autonomous Valet Parking, Fleet Staging, Future-Flexible Design