Cars That Drive Themselves - The Future of the Auto Industry

There has been a lot of talk about the future of the auto industry.  Some of things that have been discussed are cars that run 100% on electricity, cars that have motion sensors to help parking and incoming dangers, and even cars that run on vegetable byproducts.  One of the latest breakthroughs that have received attention lately is the technology to create cars that can drive themselves.

Recently Google (known for their world famous search engine and applications) has experimented with cars that drive themselves.  It uses radar, video cameras, and even laser in addition with the Google map information to accurately get to the destination.  Although the idea of a artificial intelligence operating by itself seems a little unreal, the results have been surprising.

Google's cars have driven over 100,000 miles across all types of environments from bridges, highways, and local areas.  According to the company, there was only one accident where a driver rear ended the car on a red light.  Of course, the technology is still in testing and will need to be tested to see if it is safe to operate.  This is exciting news for many people as it can mean things.

Imagine going to work stress-free while you take a nap, work on your project, or even watch TV.  Imagine not being tired while driving during a long trip because you've been driving for hours.  How about being able to drive around at late night after having several drinks?  You can say it's pretty much like having your own personal chauffer get you to your destination.

If the technology passes the tests and makes it to consumers, it's uncertain how it will affect the transportation industry.  Nobody knows if this technology will leave many cab drivers and taxi companies out of jobs.  History has shown that technology has replaced workers as in the case of assembly line factory workers being replaced by systems.

Regardless of how it will affect the economy, the idea of this technology actually making its way to consumers is very exciting.  The possibilities are endless with this technology and can make many of our lives easier.  The same concept has been tested in the US military where fighter jets as well as patrol cars were tested for fewer casualties in war.

So will cars that drive themselves actually work?  The chances are high that it will.  As the technology improves, these cars will probably prove to be safe for pedestrians as well as the passengers.  We don't know if there will be a future where nobody has to manually drive anymore but this technology is exciting and provides so many possibilities to everyone.