Google Unveils Self-Driving Car With No Steering Wheel 583
cartechboy writes: "We've already discussed and maybe even come to terms with the fact that autonomous cars are coming. In fact, many automakers including Mercedes-Benz and Tesla have committed to self-driving cars by 2017. Apparently that's not ambitious enough. Google has just unveiled an in-house-designed, self-driving car prototype with no steering wheel or pedals. In fact, it doesn't have any traditional controls, not even a stereo. The as-yet-nameless car is a testbed for Google's vision of the computerized future of transportation. Currently the prototype does little more than programmed parking lot rides at a maximum of 25 mph, but Google plans to build about 100 prototypes, with the first examples receiving manual controls (human-operated). Google then plans to roll out the pilot program in California in the next several years. So the technology is now there, but is there really a market for a car that drives you without your input other than the destination?"
Re:So when will the taxi drivers start protesting? (Score:5, Funny)
I totally recall when taxi drivers were homicidal psychopaths with mohawk hair cuts. Thankfully we will now have fleets of mannequins named "Johnny Cab" to cheerfully take us around.
No Stereo!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No steering wheel? No deal. (Score:5, Funny)
A quick call to google's helpdesk is all that's needed to stop the car in an emergency.
Great, That's all I need... (Score:5, Funny)
A car which automatically takes me places I don't want to go, based on my browsing history.
Re:No steering wheel? No deal. (Score:4, Funny)
You don't suppose, do you, that the "Stop button" you mentioned might not be a way to tell the car to, well, "stop moving at any point", do you?