Google Self-driving Cars Appear In California Streets
Google's latest prototype vehicles are ready for the road and a few of them are now cruising around the streets of Mountain View, California. These prototype vehicles are designed from the ground up to be fully self-driving. They’re ultimately designed to work without a steering wheel or pedals, but during this phase of the project Google will have safety drivers aboard with a removable steering wheel, accelerator pedal, and brake pedal that allow them to take over driving if needed. The prototypes’ speed is capped at a neighborhood-friendly 25mph, and they’ll drive using the same software that Google's existing Lexus vehicles use—the same fleet that has self-driven over 1 million miles since the company started the project.
Google's self-driving Lexus RX450h sport utility vehicles have been in operation for several years.
Earlier this month, Google launched a website specifically for the self-driving car. That came after increasing criticism by customers and consumer groups that the search giant was not providing enough information about the project.
Google has so far reported 12 accidents involving the prototypes.