Jeep, Ram, Dodge and More Getting Eyes-Off, Hands-Free Driving — Just Not Right Now

• Stellantis announced its new Level 3 system is ready to go.
• But the company said it won't release the software until the market is more receptive.
• That likely means the next generation of cars from Dodge, Jeep, Ram and more will get the system.

Plenty of automakers are hard at work making autonomous driving more than just science fiction. GM and Ford already have systems in place called, respectively, Super Cruise and BlueCruise, and today Stellantis, the parent company to brands like Ram, Jeep, Dodge, and more, announced its new Level 3 system called STLA AutoDrive is ready for deployment. 

The company says the new system allows for eyes-off, hands-free driving at speeds of up to 37 mph, even at night or in light rain. When the conditions are met, drivers will be able to push a button in the car and AutoDrive will take over. While the speed is limited, Stellantis said it's actively working on developments that could enable speeds up to 59 mph and even take you off-road in certain scenarios. 

According to Stellantis, the system was developed entirely in-house. The idea is to give drivers time back while they're slogging their way through stop-and-go traffic or in urban areas. That means that, for now at least, you will only be able to use the system in cities, suburban neighborhoods, and similar places with a lot of infrastructure. 

When the right conditions aren't met, the system will simply default back to adaptive cruise control with lane centering (aka Level 2) or Level 2+, which allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel but requires them to still watch the road. Even though the system is ready to go, it won't be rolled out right away.

A Stellantis spokesperson said, "The current market for Level 3 autonomous driving is very limited. We have made the strategic decision not to launch it at this time. Once the market opens up and becomes more receptive, we will move forward with introducing this advanced technology." 

Stellantis was also unable to share which brands will get this technology first or which models it will be compatible with at launch. Whatever the case, there's certainly more to come from the brand's autonomous efforts.