Google has been working on inventing a self-driving car since 2009 and currently has more than 20 self-driving cars in their fleet. Combined, these cars have self-driven over a million miles in various conditions. Using sensors and software, Google has successfully taught their cars to navigate through various scenarios on a typical city street (the self-driving car can even avoid deer!).
Google’s goal is to have a vehicle that can transport its passengers from one point to another at the push of a button without a steering wheel or a pedal. This would mean incredible help for people with disabilities and the elderly. The Google Self-Driving Car Project currently resides in Google X, Google’s research division.
The introduction of a CEO to head the project however, changes the nature of the project. John Krafcik has years of automotive experience in his portfolio, working with both Ford and Hyundai Motor Co., which hints to the possibility of commercial production of this innovative technology especially when news of Krafcik entering to lead the project comes at a time of a major restructuring by Google into a parent company called Alphabet.
While all this is exciting and impressive news, the question to ask is, would you be able to relax in a self-driving car?
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