If you were wondering when self-driving cars will arrive, wonder no longer. They’re already here. Elon Musk’s car company Tesla has released yet another impressive demo of the autonomous driving capabilities of his Tesla sports cars, this time showcasing how the car is reading and reacting to its external surroundings. Important objects such as people, road signs, and of course, other cars, light up in square coloured boxes. The human passenger seated behind the wheel is an optional extra.
The choice of music is a bit mad, but it’s an incredible feat. Other larger, established car companies are only now releasing plans for self-driving cars or experimental prototypes.
When self-driving cars arrive on mass, the impact is likely to be profound. Billions of dollars will be saved on medical expenses for the millions who are injured in road accidents every year, not to mention the lives saved. Drivers will have more time, and parking will be easier. The way goods and services are transported is also likely to change radically. And if solar energy usage continues to grow, many of these cars will be powered by free, unlimited energy from the sun, reducing carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.
We’re likely to see the first self-driving cars on the road in later 2017 or early 2018 when Tesla releases its consumer friendly car, the Tesla model three.
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