What Is A Self-Driving Car?

A self-driving or driverless car is the robot car we’ve all been waiting for. While we’ll probably have to wait another 5-6 years for most of the major car manufacturers to roll out their versions of autonomous vehicles, a few of them have been working on the technology for decades. These cars of the future will rely upon GPS, radar, lidar, and many onboard cameras. The information compiled from these sources is then interpreted to identify navigation, potential obstacles, and signage so that the vehicle can travel without the input of a human driver.

In the next six years, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, Cadillac, Nissan, Tesla, General Motors, Audi, and Google all hope to be selling self-driving cars. Scroll down to see how the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is anticipated to work.

Self-Driving Car Legislation

As of 2013, three states have approved the use of self-driving cars on their roads. In California, Florida, and Nevada it is permitted to operate self-driving cars. Requirements for testing self-driving cars on public roads includes special license plates, baring a red background and the inclusion of the infinity symbol “ “, the presence of a human driver in the driver’s seat and human passenger in the passenger’s seat. Colorado and Michigan are currently reviewing self-driving car legislation.

How Will A Self-Driving Car and DUI Work?

It hasn’t been determined yet whether you will be able to lawfully imbibe alcohol, get behind the wheel of one of these cars and essentially be driven home as if your car is a robotic cab driver. Can I drink and drive my self-driving car home and not get a DUI? The argument can be made that even though you’re inside the car, you don’t have actual physical control over the operation of the vehicle. We will have to wait and see how intuitive and exactly how much control these cars will be able to provide us and whether that will be enough – in the eyes of the law – to absolve our responsibility from driving. The anticipated acceptance of self-driving cars may eventually lead to no more constraints placed on other drivers too. The adoption of these high-tech vehicles could mean that physically ailed, underage, and overage drivers will be able to use them too.