The most talked about innovation is Google’s driverless car. This car has still not hit the market, but four of the US States have given permission to test drive.
Photo: Wikipedia-Lexus RX450h
By the year end, 200 of these cars will be running on the streets for testing in normal traffic condition. The car runs by finding way through 600 feet of diameter. The radar system operates the vehicle for making its way through the traffic. There are gong to be no steering wheel, no brake, clutch and of course no driver.
No accelerator and no gear. There are fitted two buttons marked Stop and go. Google believes the collision or an accident will reduce by 90 %. The car has logged 90000 kilometers without an accident. The two accident that took place when the car had a driver, driving in manual mode.
Google does not want to go in mass production, but looking for car manufacturing companies, so that the customer gets the cheaper car.
So far the Company has spent $ 250 000 in research and development.
The car is the brainchild of Sebastian Thrun, who is the project head for the Company. The idea came to him when years ago his dear friend died of an accident.
Since then he has been dreaming to make such a car that will be an accident-free. The car wold stop the overwhelming deaths of one million precious lives each year
The car is lighter, thus consuming less fuel and greener. The controls do not sleep, can navigate safely between crowded streets. Technical obstructions still remain like laws of human control of traffic system. However the time is not far off when driverless car on roads will be seen.
The negatives such as availability of repairer and pot holed roads will have to be overcome so that positive outlook prevail. Many unseen situations will have to be worked out prior to make this project to be used for benefit of all.
