Have you ever wished cruise control in your car was actually more like an autopilot?
Autonomous cars are slowly becoming an actuality, not solely limited to the futuristic realms of “The Jetsons,” “Minority Report” or “I, Robot.”
In Nevada, Florida and California, self-driving vehicles are already legal, and Michigan currently has a bill in the State Senate Transportation Committee.
One company putting major work into this technology is Google. Their technology has figured out all driving conditions except construction zones, response to accidents by driven vehicles, and snow (which gives trouble to even humans).
Mercedes has recently announced that its 2014 S-Class will have the ability to automatically steer, brake, accelerate, park, maintain a lane, and even avoid an accident.
Many other major automobile companies are also currently working on their own autonomous driving systems, with most projecting to have full implementation by 2020.
The benefits of a system of autonomous driving would improve driving as a form of transportation to a level unseen by any other mode of transportation.
Time will tell if the All-American love affair with the open road will be fully surrendered to a computer.