The cost is $10,000 and the company plans for it to work with any vehicle.Ĭruise Automation faces a major challenge: beating Google, Tesla, GM, Audi and Ford to market. Soon, the company will sell its RP-1 aftermarket kit that can convert any Audi A4 or S4 into a self-driving machine. The technology behind Cruise Automation’s incredible innovation actually thinks faster than any human can see without blinking, it does not get intoxicated, tired or distracted by a smartphone. Therefore, if any objects or vehicles come within close proximity, the car will slow down. The sensors on the car monitor highway markings while constantly adjusting the steering to ensure it is centered in the lane. In early 2015, Cruise Automation became the first company to sell technology that allows automobiles to drive themselves.
With that being said, the following five companies are currently leading the way in self driving car technology. Nevertheless, the benefits of a self-driving car, such as increased fuel economy, a decrease in the number of accidents and the ability to have a cup of coffee while reading the paper on your way to work could give the unsure adopter a reason to make the purchase. For instance, government regulations must be implemented, an infrastructure that supports driverless vehicles must be constructed and liability insurance rules will need to be amended accordingly. The issue is, there are many areas things that must be figured out prior to launching such a vehicle. Therefore, it could be many decades before cars are available without pedals or steering wheels. Even at this point, a human would still need to be in the driver’s seat, ready to gain control of the car if the technology stops working. Some experts predict that the self-driving car could be available by 2025. At the moment, experts cannot agree as to when fully autonomous self driving vehicles will be on the market for purchase.
Most of these vehicles are considered partially automated and require some amount of driver intervention. There are several companies already testing self-driving cars on the roads.
Self-driving cars, also known as driverless vehicles, are no longer fun concepts as seen in futuristic movies the technology is here and commercialization is just around the corner.