Staff Writer, Dubai

Honda Motor will release its first partial self-driving technology incorporated into its luxury car model, the Legend, next summer, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

The car will be able to drive itself with the driver’s hands off the wheel and eyes off the road. However, the vehicle will warn the car user once it is necessary to take over. The person sitting in the driver’s seat can “fiddle with a smartphone or watch TV,” said the Nikkei Asian Review.

The Legend will retail for around 10 million yen ($91,000), making it 40% more expensive than a standard car. According to the Japanese business newspaper, the vehicle is categorized as Level-3 automation on a five-tier scale, with Level-5 describing fully autonomous driven cars.

Japan is aiming to commercialize Level-3 technology by next year, and “has already passed a legislation to allow Level-3 cars on the roads,” stated Nikkei Asian Review.

Many car manufacturers have delved into the autonomous driving industry; however, they face various obstacles with cost being the main barrier. The vehicles require many sensors to stay in the proper lane, observe traffic signs and avoid obstacles without human intervention.

According to the financial publication, Audi has developed cars with Level-3 technology but has not released the full range due to regulatory barriers.