In today's world, we are facing rapid technological advancements and digitalization in almost every aspect of our lives. It is worth noting that transportation plays a crucial role as it enables people to move around on a daily basis. In order for society to function and progress effectively, it is necessary to elevate transportation to a higher level, and that is the introduction of autonomous technology in the field of transportation. Therefore, it is not surprising to see the emergence of demand for autonomous vehicles. The fact is that vehicles are becoming increasingly autonomous, with their main goal being to replace the role of humans and introduce complete vehicle automation. Whether everything envisioned will be fully realized remains to be seen in the coming years. This thesis will focus on precisely that, not only exploring the concept of automation and autonomous vehicles, but also discussing the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies, potential opportunities and risks associated with their implementation, and current achievements in vehicle automation.