Level 2+ Driver Assist Systems to Reach 31% of New Cars by 2031

Automakers bet on supervised automation over autonomy

The automotive industry's automation trajectory is crystallizing around a pragmatic middle ground: advanced driver-assistance systems that keep humans in the loop rather than pursuing full autonomy at scale. Berg Insight projects that by 2031, Level 2+ ADAS will be installed in 31.0 percent of new passenger cars globally—up from 9.2 percent in 2025—while Level 3 conditional automation will reach only 4.8 percent of the market.

The forecast, first reported by IoT Business News, shows total Level 2 and Level 2+ systems combined will account for 77 percent of new vehicle sales by 2031, with standard Level 2 reaching 57.3 percent penetration. This represents a fundamental shift in how the industry is approaching automated driving: prioritizing features that can be industrialized across mainstream platforms within current regulatory frameworks rather than chasing higher autonomy levels that require different liability structures and operational domains.

Why it matters

This forecast signals that the near-term commercial opportunity in automotive automation lies in supervised systems, not self-driving cars. For technology suppliers, fleet operators, and enterprises evaluating vehicle platforms, the implication is clear: the complexity and capability of driver-assist systems will increase dramatically, but the driver will remain responsible for monitoring the road through the end of the decade.

Premium brands retreat from Level 3 emphasis

The strategic repositioning is visible even among automakers with proven Level 3 capabilities. Berg Insight notes that BMW and Mercedes-Benz, both of which have deployed Level 3 systems, have recently reduced their near-term emphasis on conditional automation in favor of more scalable Level 2+ implementations. This shift reflects the commercial reality that L2+ can be fitted across wider vehicle portfolios without the operational constraints that limit L3 deployment to specific conditions and geographies.

Level 2+ systems add more advanced assisted-driving functions beyond standard Level 2 while maintaining driver supervision requirements. Berg Insight estimates 8.0 million vehicles with L2+ were sold in 2025, growing to 28.4 million by 2031.

Chinese OEMs accelerate ADAS deployment

The report highlights the role of Chinese automakers in driving sophisticated ADAS adoption. Berg Insight identifies BYD Auto, Changan, Chery, Geely, GWM, Leapmotor, Li Auto, NIO, SAIC, and XPeng among leading Chinese players deploying advanced systems. Outside China, the analyst points to Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised), Ford BlueCruise, GM Super Cruise, and systems from Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai Motor Group, Volkswagen, and Audi.

Supply chain complexity increases with ADAS scale

The growth in advanced driver assistance creates integration pressure across the automotive technology stack. Berg Insight describes a supplier ecosystem spanning Tier 1 integrators including Aptiv, Bosch, Denso, Magna, Valeo, and ZF Group; semiconductor providers such as Mobileye, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, AMD, and NXP; and AD software specialists including Huawei, Momenta, Wayve, and Deeproute.ai.

For LiDAR and mapping components that differentiate higher-end L2+ offerings, the report names Hesai Technology, Innoviz, RoboSense, and Seyond among sensor suppliers, with HERE Technologies, NavInfo, TomTom, and others providing mapping platforms.

Berg Insight's overall forecast shows 55.6 percent of cars sold globally in 2025 met SAE Level 1 or higher requirements, rising to 76.9 percent by 2031. The details were first reported by IoT Business News based on Berg Insight's analysis of the global ADAS and autonomous car market.