On May 15, Google (GOOG, Financial) announced that its self-driving, bubble-shaped, grey and white automated car is now ready for on road trials after successfully clearing extensive testing on closed tracks.
These automated cars are electronically controlled without a gas pedal or steering wheel mechanism. The test runs are planned to take place in Google’s hometown in Mountain View, California, and with removable steering wheels and accelerator pedals to comply with state transport laws of California. Chris Urmson, director of Google's self-driving car project, said in an official blog post that the prototypes will be tested at neighbourhood-friendly speeds lower than 25 mph, and human test drivers will physically sit in the car to supervise each trial turn and take control if necessary.
The self-driving car project
Google started the innovation in self-driving technology and electric cars by modifying existing models of Toyota, Audi and Lexus and equipped them with multiple cameras and advanced sensory system and an on-board computer to monitor movements and control it. These tests were done in the four U.S. states and Washington, D.C., which have passed legislations permitting driverless cars. Buoyed by the success of these trials, in May 2014, Google presented the concept of their driverless car that will have no steering wheel or pedals and will be fully controlled by its intelligent car manoeuvrability software called Google Chauffeur. The fully functioning, bubble shaped prototypes were unveiled in December 2014 and resemble robotic cars hosting sophisticated technology worth almost $150,000 with a laser mounted on top to create 3D maps for range assessment and sensors to maintain safe distance.
Google admitted its Lexus test cars had been through a few accidents, but confirmed there were no injuries, and called these unfortunate learning experiences to fine tune their sensory systems and controls for precision driving. Adequate precautions are being taken including presence of safety drivers to address the worries among pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles, and avoid any possibility of mishaps like the reported 11 accidents in the last six years of the development process. Various technology and auto industry giants like BMW (BMW, Financial) and Mercedes are also in the race to develop similar driverless cars, and Google plans to get its models on the road for public consumption by 2020.
Major automakers such as Ford (F, Financial), Audi and Nissan (NSANY, Financial) have also experimented in autonomous technology with a fleet of new models decked with robotic skills for lane control and anti-collision sensors and the luxury of parallel-park facilities.
The autonomous driving revolution
Self-driving cars may still not be seen frequently on public roads and limited mostly to testing in controlled conditions, but the days of these robo-cars is not far with celebrated industry visionaries welcoming this new wave of technology for consumers and businesses.
In March, CEO of the Nissan-Renault Alliance predicted the evolution of these wonder cars to fully functioning consumer models that can effectively negotiate city driving by end of this decade, while Elon Musk, his counterpart in electric-car maker Tesla Motors (TSLA, Financial), expects self-driven cars to be a standard by 2020.
Google is proud of the driving record its test models and the evolving self-driving technology that will only get more efficient with further improvements in the coming years and is looking forward to public reactions and real roadway-interactions with these spectacular innovations.
