I’ve lived in Los Angeles for over 28 years and absolutely love California, but unfortunately the traffic in some cities is a total nightmare. I’m lucky enough to live next to one of the busiest freeways in the country (the amazingly horrible 405), so I see my share of traffic jams and clueless drivers.
In a revolutionary move that will, at some point, change the way we commute, Gov. Jerry Brown and Sen. Alex Padilla joined forces with Google to introduce a bill aimed at setting safety and performance guidelines for advancing autonomous vehicles in California.
With a team of engineers from around the country, Google’s autonomous car program has developed vehicles with the ability to navigate California landmarks like Hollywood Boulevard and the Golden Gate Bridge. Their extensive experience and forward-thinking mentality played a major role in finalizing the new law.
Google’s driverless cars are based on a modified Toyota Prius that navigates using video cameras, radar sensors, a laser ranger finder, and maps. Pretty darn cool.
By removing the human element from driving, there will theoretically be a fewer number of accidents and subsequently decreased congestion on freeways and city streets. Additionally, we won’t have to worry about someone driving 40 MPH in the fast lane on the freeway while traffic builds up behind them. So when it comes to driverless cars being ingenious or catastrophic, I vote for the former.
Check out the below video for a sneak peek.