Washington, May 18 (ANI): Google's driver-free Prius, which is equipped with a spinning laser sensor on top, navigated some of the bustling streets near the Capitol on Thursday as part of the company's efforts to convince policymakers and key consumer groups that its technology can make driving safer.
Google steered its campaign to pave the regulatory road for self-driving cars to the nation's capital.
"We think it has tremendous benefits, for society and America at large," the Politico quoted Anthony Levandowski, a product manager for the self-driving cars, who was on hand for the demo, as saying.
"We don't think the technology is ready yet, but we're in the stages of where we're proving out and learning how the car behaves in the real world, and where the creases are that need to be improved," he said.
To Google, its driverless cars can offer some automotive solutions to the problems of distracted, inefficient and dangerous driving that plague more analogue automobiles and their human operators.
And it's a message the company is taking to regulators, industry groups, tech enthusiasts and more.
The trip to Washington showcased Google's work to AARP, the American Council of the Blind and others. Those groups are key allies for the company's cause, with members who could stand to benefit from cars driven by computers.
At the moment, the computer-controlled Prius that circled the streets around Capitol Hill on Thursday - with some help from a human - is still in its early years.
As with its other tests, two engineers sat in the car, one in the driver's seat who could take over just by grabbing the steering wheel.
But the car showed it could sense errant movements by other vehicles on the road, or pedestrians in crosswalks, and adapt. Alongside other autonomous cars, the hope is that the vehicles with computer help could move more effectively and avoid traffic jams and accidents.
A Google car doesn't run the risk of driving drunk, its creators say, and can't text behind the wheel. Showcasing the broad appeal, Google has even released a video in which a blind traveller sat in the car while it drove him to a drive-thru for tacos.
Showever, there are questions about its viability, like - will consumers buy into losing control behind the wheel? When might it be available, and once it does, how long will it take for such software to be affordable? (ANI)
