Car manufacturers and technology companies have started working on autonomous cars and the speed with which they are advancing is more than impressive. The latest player to join the industry is surprisingly Google. The technology giant has recently unveiled its very own prototype of a driveless vehicle. However, unlike its competitors, Google offers a truly self-driving car.
Most autonomous vehicles resemble regular cars we see on the streets. They have steering wheels and a human driver, in addition to advanced autopilot functions.
With the Google’s car, things are quite different. First of all, the vehicle has no breaks, no steering wheel and no driver. The humans who ride in it are just passengers. All they need to start the car is select the destination they want to reach and then to push a small button. The car takes care of everything else. As a result, people who travel in this vehicle have the opportunity to simply enjoy the drive. They are able to communicate with each other, read a newspaper, sleep or simply look through the window. Therefore, using Google’s car will not require a driving license.
Google is taking things slow and safe, since for now the car is not able to drive with more than 25mph. In addition to that, it rocks a design which offers extra safety to the passengers. It looks like a bubble and it is made of foam-like or flexible materials. Also, it is equipped with powerful sensors which can detect objects which are two football fields away. Google has put extra backup breaks and controls which will switch on automatically in case the others break.
But do not think that you will be able to buy a Google car even in the distant future. The technology company has a different strategy in mind. Google want to use the cars as a taxi service. People will be able to call for a driveless car whenever they want to and it will get them to the desired destination. According to Google, this will eliminate part of the parking issue in big cities and it will enable people who are too old to drive or who have consumed alcohol to reach from Point A to Point B.
There is just one rather significant problem. The countries and U.S. states which allow driveless car on their streets require them to always have a licensed driver behind the wheel. With
Google’s car that will be impossible, simply because a driver cannot take over the control of the vehicle and there is not steering wheel. Therefore, Google may face some challenges even when testing the product. But may not be an issue for too long. After all, as technology evolves, laws need to be adapted.
The Google car is still a prototype. Although it is not yet finished, the company assures that it is fully functional and safe. By 2016, Google plans to make 100 more self-driving vehicles and team up with other companies in order to bring the product to the market.
