Self-driving car passes road test

[Sherman A1]

They did this after test runs down the bustling Las Vegas Strip and other streets showed Google's test vehicle to be as safe - or safer - than human drivers.

The modified Toyota Prius, steered by sensors, radar and cameras, was issued a special red licence plate with an infinity symbol and the words Autonomous Car to differentiate it from regular vehicles. So far, Google has applied to license three test vehicles.

"They're designed to avoid distracted driving. When you're on the Strip and there's a huge truck with a three scantily clad women on the side, the car only sees a box"

- Bruce Breslow, Nevada official

"When there comes a time that vehicle manufacturers market autonomous vehicles to the public, that infinity symbol will appear on a green license plate," Nevada official Bruce Breslow said.

While some envision the robotic car dropping off its operator at the front of the mall and hunting for a parking spot on its own, Breslow said not so fast.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/05/20125904254905662.html

[longship]

1. "Car? Go pick up my pizza! And bring some brews, too."

I can't wait for autonomous taxicabs. No more jabbering cabbies.

[Skidmore]

6. More jobs lost in a nation of people

who don't want to deal with one another.

[geckosfeet]

2. Three scantily dressed women on the side? Where does this guy live??

Oh - Las Vegas.

Well I must say, three scantily dressed women hanging out on the road in my town would be,,, groundbreaking.

But I wonder what practical applications this vehicle has? A older person who can't drive will be able to afford this? I don't think so.

I bet R Money will have one in his elevator garage though...

[marybourg]

3. Maybe 3 older people living together

or nearby could share one. As an older person, I think it's potentially life altering, like my ipod touch with which I'm communicating to unknown but loosely affiliated persons at 4 AM without disturbing my sleeping spouse.

[surrealAmerican]

4. It's not only "older people" who can't drive ...

... there are visually impaired or otherwise disabled people who could use such a vehicle.

I could also, in the short term, see this catching on among wealthy people to transport their children.

[Sherman A1]

7. I can see many great things from this technology

as it develops. Perhaps it becoming useful in public transit, school buses & alike. While I don't advocate replacing those jobs, it could in the case of individual vehicles become not only a safety benefit, but allow one to use commute time for such things as distance learning, enjoyment and such (probably will become time to answer work emails, but if that would shorten a work day that might not be all that bad either).

[lunatica]

5. Imagine driverless cars lined up politely to pick the kids up after school.

You could send your young kids to school with a car like that. Or gets some extra zzzzzs while going to work, just like all those subway riders. You could do some last minute work on the way to the office. Or surf the internets. Using cell phones could become legal again if you let the car do the driving. Commute time would shorten as all the cars would go at the exact same speed of 100 miles an hour once they got on the driver-free freeways.

Robots rule! I love this science fiction, now almost science fact, stuff.

[Buns_of_Fire]

8. I'll have to get one when they become available. I'll call it... Christine. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Stephen King would understand.

[zanana1]

10. That would be perfect.

You wouldn't be able to go to McDonald's and not choke on your Big Mac.

[zanana1]

9. I WANT ONE! nt

[marmar]

11. Couldn't be any worse than all of the distracted drivers menacing the streets these days.

nt

[joshcryer]

12. These cars will save lives in the end, we lose a Vietnam War's worth of Americans...

...every couple of years due to car accidents.

[Odin2005]

13. I want one of these!