Self-driving cars, or, if you prefer, driverless cars, are now legal in the state of California, according to KDVR . Not surprisingly, the state requires that an actual human being sit inside the car while it is tooling around the streets in order to make sure everything is safe and sound.
The bill, which was authored by State Senator Alex Padilla, was signed into law by Governor Edmund “Jerry” Brown on Tuesday afternoon. In short, the bill will allow for the testing of Google’s self-driving cars on the roads of California. Once the driverless automobiles are deemed safe enough for mass consumption, the autonomous vehicles will be available to anyone who believes this mode of transportation is a splendid idea.
AFP Relax reports that Governor Brown believes these cars are the wave of the future. “Autonomous vehicles are another example of how California’s technological leadership is turning today’s science fiction into tomorrow’s reality,” he explained. “This law will allow California’s pioneering engineers to safely test and implement this amazing new technology.”
When asked if the California Highway Patrol was okay with the appearance of self-driving cars on the state’s roadways, Governor Brown addressed the inquiries accordingly. “Anybody who first gets in the car and finds the car is driving will be a little skittish. But they’ll get over it,” he explained.
Here’s how these driverless automobiles work: Using radar, video cameras, and an assortment of other sensors as input, the cars processes the data using artificial intelligence software which navigates the roads. All the passenger has to do is sit back, relax, and pray that the computer knows what it’s doing. It honestly doesn’t sound any more frightening than riding with any of my friends.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who heads up the team that designed the self-driving cars, is extremely delighted with his own ground-breaking invention. “It obviously seems the stuff of science fiction,” he explained. “It is a fascinating area to work on but it really has the power to change people’s lives, which is why I am really excited about it.”
Do you think self-driving cars are the wave of the future?
