Google does search. So would you think of Google when you spoke of a driverless car? Maybe not, but Google has demonstrated the driverless car could be a viable alternative to driving a car yourself. Accidents and deaths could be reduced and traffic more efficiently organized.
Google engineer Sebastian Thrun leads the project, he has worked on the technology previously at Stanford University, where his team created the robotic vehicle Stanley that won the $2 million 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge.
The technology behind the car is artificial intelligence combined with Google’s patented Street View technology. It uses a combination of cameras, sensors and radar to navigate safely.
The driverless car could take years to enter commercial production. So far Google has had over 300,000 miles of accident-free testing. The search giant has been busy lobbying with many state governments in the US to permit these cars on the road. So far Nevada, Florida and California have passed laws to permit them.