A First Drive: Google Self-Driving Car Project Will Oremus - Slate
go to original May 29, 2014

Watch volunteers take a ride in Mountain View, California. (Google Self-Driving Car Project)

Until now, self-driving cars have just been regular cars with an autopilot mode. They have steering wheels, gas pedals, brakes, and human drivers ready to take over at a moment’s notice.

Google just changed the game. Its latest prototype, dispenses with all the vestigial manual controls - and the vestigial human.

Designed and built by Google from the ground up, it’s not just a self-driving car, but a true driverless car. A tiny, bubble-shaped two-seater, it’s designed to pick people up at Point A and deposit them at Point B without any intervention on their part. Just set the destination and push the “go” button and you’re free to look out the windows, read a book, work on their laptops, or go to sleep. No driver’s license needed.

Perhaps more importantly: no ownership needed. Google envisions a future in which people simply order a self-driving car when they need one. When they arrive at their destination, they hop out and the car goes on its way, like a taxi service. From Google’s blog post announcing the prototype:

Just imagine: You can take a trip downtown at lunchtime without a 20-minute buffer to find parking. Seniors can keep their freedom even if they can’t keep their car keys. And drunk and distracted driving? History.

Read the rest at Slate

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