Google reveals its first self-driving car prototype (video)

Google’s first self-driving car prototype (pictured)

Google might not be the first company that springs to mind as a car maker, but Tesla has already proved that Silicon Valley can produce a car that buyers want and Google are intent on following a similar route. But where Tesla’s USP is its long-range electric capabilities – and a desire to build cars for the market – Google’s goal is more technology orientated and is all about developing self-driving car technology that works in the real world.

For the last few years, Google has been experimenting with existing cars kitted out with self-driving gubbins, but now they’ve taken the next step and built their own self-driving prototype.

Looking like a cross between something from the Jetsons and a child’s drawing, the Google self-driving car prototype is as basic as they come.

Fitted with just two seats, a bit of room for ‘stuff’ and no steering wheel or pedals, Google plan to build a 100 or so in the coming years to extend their self-driving experiment in California.

The first production prototypes will come with manual controls too (legislation won’t have it any other way – there has to be a way to manually intervene) as Google aims to take away the need to be anything other than a passenger in a car, in a vision of an  Orwellian future where personal responsibility is taken on by technology.

The future is coming.

By Cars UK