Imagine never losing the ability to drive due to illness, age, or disability. Think of a world where all cars drive the same, regardless of the risk-averse or risk-seeking personality of the individual in the car. Google has made this a reality with its self-driving car. Google currently has self-driving Lexus SUVs and new prototype vehicles roaming the streets of Mountain View, California and Austin, Texas. Google’s cars are self-driving 30,000-40,000 miles per month, which is equal to two to four years of typical U.S. adult driving. These “test drives” or disengagements allow engineers to expand and assess software capability in real life conditions. Self-driving cars rely on sensors to detect objects in all directions, including pedestrians, birds, traffic barricades, and other vehicles. Following detection, the software then processes the information to determine what action to take next in order to safely operate and navigate the vehicle. In testing,…
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