self-driving cars

Self-driving cars have long been the dream of futurists, but they came one huge step closer to reality this year, as California became the third state to legalize autonomous vehicles, and Nevada issued the first license for testing on public streets and highways. Google released a demo video of one of its autonomous vehicles carting a blind man around town in May.

How realistic is it that you'll soon spot a driverless car in the next lane over? Probably not very. But testing will certainly continue in 2013, and Google's Sergey Brin is optimistic, predicting that consumers will … Read more

A Tesla Model S is a very hard car for reviewers to get significant time with. The company has exactly two press cars for the globe, prioritizing all other production to deliver to patient buyers. So it was with no small pleasure when Tesla's Shanna Hendriks let me know she had an S ready for me to play with for a full day (which turned out to be more like a day and a half). I hope you'll find my take a little refreshing as this car has been talked about and bloviated over like nothing this side … Read more

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has your driving future in hand. He expects average citizens to be using self-driving cars within the next few years. Chances are, you are either delighted or terrified by the thought of our highways filling up with robot cars.

On one hand, all the people who are eating breakfast sandwiches and applying makeup behind the wheel during rush hour won't have to try to keep a token eye on the road.

On the other hand, there are plenty of questions about just how well computers and sensors can react to real-world situations like black ice or a porta-potty in the middle of the 405 (yes, I saw this happen). … Read more

If you're excited about the day when your car drives itself, you may not have too wait long.

Google cofounder Sergey Brin said Google will have autonomous cars available for the general public within five years.

"You can count on one hand the number of years it will take before ordinary people can experience this," he said at the signing of SB 1298, which establishes safety and performance standards for cars operated by computers on California roads and highways.

The new law, which puts California in line with Nevada and Florida -- two states that have had … Read more

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In today's show, Google takes the wheel, Microsoft listens to your movements, and 'resumegate' fires up:

Yahoo's "resumegate" has claimed it's first victim -- but it's not the CEO. Yahoo board member Patti Hart said she plans to not seek re-election to Yahoo's board. She's tied up in the drama because she was in charge of the search to hire the chief executive and vet his resume. The scandal, which has been developing for nearly a week now, surrounds Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson and his bios that claimed he had a computer … Read more

Nevada is known as being one of the most lenient states when it comes to gambling, fireworks, and getting married; and now it's extending that easygoingness to driverless cars.

As of today, Nevada is the first state to let Google's self-driving cars on the roads. The state's Department of Motor Vehicles issued the tech giant the first license to see just how these cars act and react on busy streets and highways, according to the Las Vegas Sun.

"We're excited to receive the first testing license for self-driving vehicles in Nevada," a Google spokesperson … Read more

A self-driving car doesn't necessarily mean handing the keys over to a robot.

General Motors' on Friday said it is testing semi-autonomous technology on its Cadillac cars called Super Cruise that takes over freeway driving. It could be available by mid decade, the company said.

It's a sign how the technology for autonomous vehicles is advancing rapidly and how what's called a "self-driving car" can take different forms.

GM said that two of its 2013 Cadillac luxury sedans, the XTS and the ATS, have a Driver Assist package that already incorporates a number of sensors … Read more