Imagine a world where cars drive themselves and the human passengers are allowed to be as distracted as they like. Google is currently working on a project where cars drive themselves through the use of artificial intelligence software that allows the car to perceive in 360 degrees and to make accurate driving decisions. Google has a small fleet of seven robotic cars — six Priuses and one Audi.
The seven robotic test cars have driven 1,000 miles without human guidance and have driven over 140,000 miles with minimal human instruction. One of the cars has even successfully navigated San Francisco's famously curvy road; Lombard Street. None of the vehicles have caused a car accident. Even though robotic cars are a decade away from being mass produced according to the most optimistic forecast, the technologists involved believe the innovation will be as ground-changing as the Internet.
Every year 37,000 people die in car accidents in the United States. The engineers involved have high hopes of reducing accidents saving lives. Robot cars have the ability to react faster than human drivers and do not get sleepy, intoxicated or distracted. Engineers also look towards roads with greater capacity because robotic drivers would be able to drive more closely. They also envision more fuel efficient cars because the potentially more reliable robotic driver would allow for lighter automobiles. Though, the software used would need to be more reliable than current personal computer operating systems.
Legal issues will also arise from robotic drivers. Currently, driving laws require that a person be in control of the vehicle at all times. Robotic drivers present the question of who is really controlling the car. There are also liability issues. If a robotic car gets in an accident there is the problem of responsibility; the human driver or the company that made the robot artificial intelligence. As the issue currently stands, Google researchers believe the technology already fits within current regulations because a human driver would be able to override any action of the robotic driver.
Source: The New York Times, "Google Cars Drive Themselves, in Traffic," John Markoff, 10/9/10