Futuristic cars are coming faster than you think

[Tank]

Futuristic cars are coming faster than you think

Cars that drive themselves are not just the stuff of sci-fi movies. The technology is real, the cars can now drive legally and the debate is starting on whether society is better off when software is behind the wheel.

Automotive supplier Continental is testing a self-driving car that, by month's end, could be among the first licensed for use on public roads in Nevada, the first state to pass laws governing driverless vehicles.

Continental, which has its U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., removed brake and steering controls in a Volkswagen Passat and replaced them with sensors and advanced technology to read the surroundings and drive accordingly.

To qualify for Nevada's special license, Continental engineers have racked up and documented almost 10,000 miles of autonomous driving. That included a recent trip from Las Vegas to Brimley, Mich., where Continental has a development and testing center. More than 90 percent of the journey was without a hand on the wheel or a foot on a pedal, said Ibro Muharemovic, lead engineer of Continental's Advanced Engineering unit and one of three engineers riding shotgun.

A final trip is being planned to hit the 10,000 mark in the next few weeks...

SiFi becoming SiFact?

[Augustus]

Pretty cool it looks like spending all that money on driving lessons was a waste.

[Guardian85]

Intriguing. Can't wait to se when they go full production.

[Ali]

This would be great for people who (for whatever reason) are unable to drive (blind, too elderly, et cetera.)  I do hope that if a human needs to override them, they can do so.

[Firebird]

This would also be great considering how many people die or are injured every year from car accidents

[Guardian85]

Or people who like a drink or five...

[Tank]

Or people who like a drink or five...

It would be interesting to see how the law would cope with allowing a drunk driver operating an automatic vehicle with manual override. In the UK you can't be done for drunk 'riding' on a horse. 

[Buddy]

I remember having a discussion about this with a friend, and coming up with an electric system in the roads that send and receive information from the vehicle. I always thought that would be a neat idea to try.

Also, drunk riding, seen it. Funny as hell.  

[ThinkAnarchy]

Or people who like a drink or five...

I imagine most places will continue to charge people with DUI's even when the car is driving itself. I would imagine it would require a driver that follows the current rules to act if the car malfunctions.