You know that scene from the sci-fi movie, when the characters exit a
building, an automated car pulls up without a driver, they hop in, and
the car drives away with still no one driving it?
Well, soon that may not be very sci-fi anymore. Before long, that
will be in your average drama flick, or better yet, real life. And the
technology that is helping it move there, the Google Car. This
technology is currently being developed by Google. The ability to
purchase an automobile with this technology may still be a number of
years off, but it’s not as far off as the flying car.

There
are many reasons why an autonomous car would be awesome. According to
Google, a few of their reasons are safety, efficiency, and convenience.
At a recent TED talk, Sebastian Thrun said his motivation for
Google Car
technology is that “Most automobile deaths are due to human error, not
machine error. A driverless car can save lives.” Google also feels that
with automated technology, a large amount of the space being wasted on
the roads could be used more efficiently, as cars can drive closer
together, maneuver smoother than humans, and utilize more of the road.
Google Car – Yes Please!
A few of the reasons I’m excited for about a car that drives itself
is the ability to check Facebook (or back to MySpace, or whatever else
everyone is using by then), marathoning episodes of old TV shows on
Netflix like Firefly and Lost, and taking a nap.
Any one of these reasons is reason enough for me to buy into this
tech. A few years ago I commuted by train. During this commute, I would
generally participate in any of the activities that I listed above. I
also obviously never got into any car accidents, my commute was much
quicker, and definitely more convenient.

Now,
my commute is the opposite. I sit in traffic for at least an hour a
day, I have been hit by other drivers in their cars, I can’t watch
Movies (okay maybe I slip the occasional one in still), and often I have
to try really hard to ensure that I don’t take a nap.
The technology in the
Google Car
is very complex. It consists of a LIDAR dome sensor on the roof,
cameras inside and outside of the car, a GPS system, and technology from
Google Maps and Google Streetview.
Don’t worry; if the driver prefers, the car does not have absolute
total control over the driving. If the driver gets bored or scared, they
have the ability to override the computerized controls. The controls
can be taken over by simply moving the steering wheel or tapping the
brake pedal, much like overriding a cruise control system.
Google Car – Laws are Lacking
In June 2011, Nevada was the first to pass a law allowing for the use
of the automated cars like the Google Car on public roads. A few other
states are looking to follow, including Hawaii, Florida, Oklahoma,
Arizona, and most notably, California.
Mountain View, California is the location of Google’s
Headquarters. A large amount of road testing also takes place in
California. State Senator Alex Pidilla recently arrived at a press
conference in Sacramento (see picture above) while driving (riding) in a
Prius with Google Car technology to introduce SB 1298. SB 1298 is a
bill that directs the California Highway Patrol to develop standards for
the operation and testing of autonomous vehicles.
With this technology coming out, it should be a top priority for
states to figure out laws to help regulate the use of automated cars.
Most automobile laws are extremely outdated, with quite a few dating
back to the original horse and carriage days. The problem with
automobile laws isn’t that they ban automated vehicles, because
technically, many don’t. It’s that they don’t regulate them. The lack of
regulation allows for quite a bit of room for the technology makers to
play with.

What
exactly is an autonomous vehicle considered? This definition is
currently a gray area, which is one reason why some laws need to be
developed. There are many luxury cars currently being produced that have
options for the vehicle to perform tasks automatically. Automated
self-parking is a current available feature. Other current options
available are lane departure warning systems and adaptive cruise
control.
Most parties would find it valuable for laws and regulations to be
present. Google would like it so they know the boundaries they can
function in. It would be beneficial to the public so that people don’t
have to fear some crazy unregulated technology running them over. Of
course that is a stretch, but possibly not too far of a stretch.
The Google Car may be as far as 10 years out or more. But for anyone
that knows how technology or politics work, that is not too distant of a
future. While the actual vehicles may not be for sale for a while,
testing still needs to be done.
Google does not want to just test on enclosed tracks and courses like
some opponents wish. In order for this technology to advance, and
innovation to be present, these self-driving vehicles need to be put on
the road in real world situations. And if regulations cease to exist,
the public could potentially be put in dangerous situations by people
trying to push technology too fast. I’m not just talking about Google
here; I am also referring to all the other companies that are sure to
pop up as well, once this idea develops further.
Google Car – It’s No Accident
According to Google, currently no auto accidents have been the fault of the technology in the
Google Car.
Last year, in August 2011, news and a picture floated around about an
accident that occurred with a self-driving car in front of the Google HQ
in Mountain View, California. Google stated the accident was caused
while the car was being operated manually, and not by the technology of
the Google Car. Jay Nancarrow, a spokesman for Google has stated that
there have been zero accidents while the car has been in self-driving
mode. This car has been driven over 200,000 miles.
So, while this sci-fi like technology in the Google Car seems
futuristic, the world should get ready for it, because it’s coming. And
it’s sure to have a huge impact in the automobile industry. I am
definitely excited for it, and I can’t wait to “not” drive one.