Bangalore: Don’t be surprised if you see an unmanned car cruising down the road alongside you very soon. The state of Nevada has issued a license to Google’s driverless cars. The first self driven car on the roads will be a Toyota Prius which has been modified with video cameras mounted on the roof, radar sensors and a laser range finder to "see" other traffic.
The cars are capable of detecting other vehicles on the road along with pedestrians or cyclists. With the help of the laser radar mounted on the roof and the grill the car creates a virtual buffer zone around the obstacles on the road and thus avoids them.
The system drives at the speed limit it has stored on its maps and maintains its distance from other vehicles using its system of sensors. In case of any errors or emergencies the human can take over the control simply by stepping on the break or by touching the wheel.
The self driven cars need to have a combined driving time of 10,000 miles. The state has also asked Google to submit a description of the self-driving technology along with a safety plan. They also need to submit a plan for hiring and training drivers. Cars passing these tests will be issued a special red license plate with an infinity sign.
Self driving cars are the future of transportation. This technology is likely to bring the alarming accident numbers down. "It gets honked at more often because it's being safe," said Nevada DMV Director Bruce Breslow. No more drunk drivers and road kills. Amen!
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