Driverless Cars

Driverless Cars

An autonomous car, also known as a robotic car or informally as a driverless or self-driving car, is an autonomous vehicle capable of fulfilling the human transportation capabilities of a traditional car. As an autonomous vehicle, it is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input. A human may choose a destination, but is not required to perform any mechanical operation of the vehicle.

Autonomous vehicles sense their surroundings with such techniques as radar, lidar, GPS and computer vision. Advanced control systems interpret sensory information to identify appropriate navigation paths, as well as obstacles and relevant signage. Some autonomous vehicles can furthermore update their maps based on sensory input, allowing them to navigate through uncharted environments.

Since the late 2000s, significant advances have been made in both technology and legislation relevant to autonomous cars. Numerous major companies have developed working autonomous prototypes, including Google, Nissan, Toyota and Audi. In June 2011, the state of Nevada was the first jurisdiction in the United States to pass a law concerning the operation of autonomous cars. The Nevada law went into effect on March 1, 2012, and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles issued the first license for a self-driven car in May 2012. The license was issued to a Toyota Prius modified with Google's experimental driverless technology. Three U.S. states have passed laws permitting driverless cars, as of September 2012: Nevada, Florida and California.