14 DAY TRIAL // Google and so many other technology experts have been harping about self-driving cars for some time. Indeed, people have been trying to do something with the concept for decades. Seems Google still got it right first though.
Once upon a time, there was the idea of installing wireless transmitters underneath the asphalt and use that to guide driverless cars to their destination.
Obviously, that idea never led to anything or we'd have heard more about it since. It was too restrictive, especially with how relatively quickly asphalt wears down.
In the end, LiDAR technology proved to be the tipping point. LiDAR uses a remote sensing technology that detects distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analyzing the reflected light.
Google implemented LiDAR technology and developed software that could “recognize” the road, incoming cars, vehicles coming from behind, etc.
The particulars of Google self-driving cars
In theory, the technology can be applied to any vehicle, but you won't see the standard Mazda or Mercedes trading the long-standing blueprints for the new technology.
Also, the majority of the self-driving cars, if not all of them, will be electrical, at least for the first few years or so.
Nevertheless, up to now, the Google team has tested the system on six Toyota Prius, an Audi TT, and three Lexus RX450h.
San Francisco's Lombard Street, famed for its steep hairpin turns, has been successfully navigated. Anyone who's ever been there can probably vouch for the reliability of the self-driving cars based on that alone.
City pedestrian traffic is also taken into account by the guidance system, obviously. All thanks to the LiDAR-based capability to generate a detailed 3D map of the surroundings, which is constantly compared to high-resolution maps of the world.
Availability and pricing
Unfortunately, this wonder of technological engineering will not be making its way to a car dealership near you. While Google obviously waited on purpose for Christmas to come, it still only has the first prototype ready to bask in the world's admiration.
The test track in Northern California will see a lot of use for the next few weeks. Safety drivers will be overseeing it with temporary manual controls until the development team ties up all the loose ends.
You can see the car, and the prototype revealed back in May, in the attached gallery. The vehicle kind of looks like a bean, but maybe it's just us.
