AfterDawn: News

Wow: Here is Google's self-driving car in action, no brakes or steering wheel necessary

Google's incredible self-driving car project has taken its next step, with Google unveiling a prototype that does not have brakes nor a steering wheel, thus putting 100 percent of the burden of driving on the car.

Reads Google's release:
"Just imagine: You can take a trip downtown at lunchtime without a 20-minute buffer to find parking. Seniors can keep their freedom even if they can't keep their car keys. And drunk and distracted driving? History.



We're now exploring what fully self-driving vehicles would look like by building some prototypes; they'll be designed to operate safely and autonomously without requiring human intervention. They won't have a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, or brake pedal... because they don't need them. Our software and sensors do all the work. The vehicles will be very basic--we want to learn from them and adapt them as quickly as possible--but they will take you where you want to go at the push of a button. And that's an important step toward improving road safety and transforming mobility for millions of people. "

The cars feature sensors that can detect objects in all directions as far out as 240 yards, and the original prototypes can only go 25 mph as Google has capped the speeds.

Over 100 prototypes will be built and over the summer, new models with manual controls will be built for Google drivers to test with.

Here is the future:



Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 27 May 2014 22:24

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• 15 comments

• KillerBug

  Thankfully the headline is wrong...it has brakes...it doesn't have a brake pedal.
  

  
  

  28.5.2014 20:38 #1

• mightyzog

  LOL!!! RECALCULATING!! RECALCULATING!! SMASH!!!

  29.5.2014 00:07 #2

• MagengarZ

  Google hijacks YouTube.
  Google then wants to hijack the internet.
  Now Google wants to hijack the streets.......
  ...with these wacky self-driving cars....
  
  We're about to get Googlized, folks.
  
  Dissenters beware: if you step out of line and
  disagree with everything Google is doing to
  conquer the world, Google will
  send one or many of these RC cars out to run you down.lol

  29.5.2014 02:15 #3

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by MagengarZ: Google hijacks YouTube.
  Google then wants to hijack the internet.
  Now Google wants to hijack the streets.......
  ...with these wacky self-driving cars....
  
  We're about to get Googlized, folks.
  
  Dissenters beware: if you step out of line and
  disagree with everything Google is doing to
  conquer the world, Google will
  send one or many of these RC cars out to run you down.lol A sub-micro car limited to 25MPH...I wouldn't be too afraid of that trying to run me down. If I knew it was coming I'd get a red cloth and taunt it like a bull.
  

  
  

  29.5.2014 07:40 #4

• MagengarZ

  Originally posted by KillerBug: Originally posted by MagengarZ: Google hijacks YouTube.
  Google then wants to hijack the internet.
  Now Google wants to hijack the streets.......
  ...with these wacky self-driving cars....
  
  We're about to get Googlized, folks.
  
  Dissenters beware: if you step out of line and
  disagree with everything Google is doing to
  conquer the world, Google will
  send one or many of these RC cars out to run you down.lol A sub-micro car limited to 25MPH...I wouldn't be too afraid of that trying to run me down. If I knew it was coming I'd get a red cloth and taunt it like a bull. 25mph..... fleets of them everywhere, like daleks...
  and armed with paralyzer darts.
  You can out-run 'em, but you can't out-hide 'em. lol!

  29.5.2014 13:02 #5

• Ripper

  I can appreciate the tentativeness and even skeptical attitude that some adopt towards Google's unrivaled reach into the world and our daily lives. However, the progress they are making in advancing the way we live our lives is undeniably exciting.
  
  In future, I would like to see Google moving into other, lesser tread areas outside of technology directly, but that are within their reach to make a novel contribution to: e.g. endangered species conservation, clean water initiatives, etc. I don't think it unreasonable to suggest that they might at some point, particularly through Google.org, but commercially too.
  

  
  

  29.5.2014 19:34 #6

• cart0181

  Why does this remind me of the movie Transcendence? Oh yeah, it is all the disabled and handicapped people flocking to be "helped" by the amazing technology. Now all we need is a better version of Siri and a sprinkle of nanotech and we're there.
  

  30.5.2014 09:51 #7

• ispy

  Firstly they take you to Google HQ to reprogram your mind. Repeat after me, "I love Google" "I love Google"
  

  
  Dell4500 P4 2.4 ,1Gb RAM,2x120GB HD,80GB Ext HD,XP SP1, 1x Pioneer 109, 2x 110D flashed to 110 ,Ritek G05-R,s,TY's, AnyDVD,Nero,Shrink,2nd comp Asus Pundit P4 2.8 1Gb RAM programs as Dell,and 2 IBM T60 laptops

  30.5.2014 10:58 #8

• sundance

  What happens when you get some fool that wants to intentionally crash into one of these. Remember the Google glass getting ripped off the lady's face in a bar.

  30.5.2014 12:20 #9

• Ripper

  Originally posted by sundance: What happens when you get some fool that wants to intentionally crash into one of these. Remember the Google glass getting ripped off the lady's face in a bar. I haven't read about the Google Glass incident but regardless the two aren't comparable, leaving aside the fact that someone has taken offense to adopters of new tech.
  
  If someone were to do this (attempt an intentional collision), then a self-driving car would be able to react more quickly than a human could, and is ultimately better suited to react to a wider range of scenarios that a human driver (blind spots, etc).
  
  edit: words
  

  
  

  30.5.2014 12:37 #10

• maitland

  lol@ispy:
  
  I just visited Google in Venice, CA a couple of days ago. I certainly remember having a great time... maybe they reprogrammed me... eep!
  
  hahaha

  30.5.2014 19:38 #11

• Ryoohki

  I think a self-driving vehicle would be wonderful. Not only would it make being driven more convenient, it would open up the road to the disabled who would not, ordinarily, be able to drive alone. I also think that having a manual override option would be critical. Other people would obviously have manual cars plus there are natural disasters that could happen and cause a hazard that could require action from a passenger. I think those who are capable of taking a drivers' test should still be required to do so if they have a vehicle where manual operation is possible.
  

  31.5.2014 13:20 #12

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by Ryoohki: I think a self-driving vehicle would be wonderful. Not only would it make being driven more convenient, it would open up the road to the disabled who would not, ordinarily, be able to drive alone. I also think that having a manual override option would be critical. Other people would obviously have manual cars plus there are natural disasters that could happen and cause a hazard that could require action from a passenger. I think those who are capable of taking a drivers' test should still be required to do so if they have a vehicle where manual operation is possible. It is probably going to be a while until this is practical as anything more than a mini-tram or at best a partial-trip automation system. The roads need to be properly mapped...that is a big issue if they are using the same mapping data as google maps (that often thinks I have left the interstate because they added a lane 5 years ago and google still doesn't know it). Then you have construction...I bet that those areas where they route both traffic directions onto one side of the interstate would screw the system up a bit, not to mention "one lane" construction zones with the guys holding stop signs to direct traffic flow. ...And of course there is the issue of actual destination location...what do you do when it takes you to where it thinks is 123 e. main street, but it is actually 456 w. main street?
  

  
  

  1.6.2014 14:45 #13

• Ripper

  Originally posted by KillerBug: It is probably going to be a while until this is practical as anything more than a mini-tram or at best a partial-trip automation system. The roads need to be properly mapped...that is a big issue if they are using the same mapping data as google maps (that often thinks I have left the interstate because they added a lane 5 years ago and google still doesn't know it).
  
  If I recall correctly from one of their videos on the subject, they do use a different mapping system.
  
  Quote: Then you have construction...I bet that those areas where they route both traffic directions onto one side of the interstate would screw the system up a bit, not to mention "one lane" construction zones with the guys holding stop signs to direct traffic flow. ...And of course there is the issue of actual destination location...what do you do when it takes you to where it thinks is 123 e. main street, but it is actually 456 w. main street? This is a much more interesting video, IMO, and it gives an insight into this scenario:
  
  http://youtu.be/bDOnn0-4Nq8
  
  Obviously there is still a lot of work to be done.
  
  Personally I feel that creating a control-less car is more of a PR angle than anything but, that aside, I agree with the sentiment that manual controls initially would still be a necessity regardless, as would having a valid license.
  

  
  

  1.6.2014 16:14 #14

• Ripper

  'Google Invests in Satellites to Spread Internet Access'
  
  http://online.wsj.com/news/article_emai...0MDAwMTEwNDEyWj
  

  
  

  2.6.2014 06:45 #15